LA Dodgers Survive in Canada to Force Winner-Take-All Game 7 in Fall Classic

This year's World Series is going to a final Game 7 following the Los Angeles Dodgers kept alive their title defense hopes intact on Friday with a three to one victory over the Blue Jays in Game 6.

The reigning title holders halted Toronto’s ninth-inning rally with a dramatic final double play, stunning a Rogers Centre audience that had arrived prepared to cheer the team's first title in 32 years.

Game 6 Recap

Los Angeles produced all of their offense in the third inning. With two outs, Ohtani was intentionally walked before Smith hit a two-bagger to left to score Tommy Edman. Freeman earned a base on balls to load the bases, and Mookie Betts delivered with a two-run single to left, handing the Dodgers a three-run advantage.

Betts’ hit broke a playoff dry spell and revived the defending champions’ hopes of becoming the initial back-to-back World Series victors since the New York Yankees captured three consecutive from 1998 to 2000.

Mound Duel

Gausman had been nearly unhittable to that stage, striking out six of the first seven Dodgers he faced. He struck out eight through three innings, matching a World Series mark, but the third-inning barrage proved decisive. The Toronto ace ended with 8 Ks over six frames, yielding three earned runs on three hits and two free passes.

Yamamoto, meanwhile, was steady again under pressure. The righty outdueled his counterpart for the second occasion in a seven days, giving up one run on five hits over six innings with six strikeouts. He boosted his record to four wins and one loss this postseason with a 1.56 ERA.

The lone score against him resulted from George Springer two-out base hit in the third inning, scoring Addison Barger, who had doubled earlier in the inning. That single provided a momentary lift in his comeback to the starting nine after sitting out a pair of contests with an oblique injury.

Relief Effort

From there, the Los Angeles relievers took over. Rookie Wrobleski escaped a tight spot in the seventh, and fellow rookie Sasaki pitched into the ninth inning before plunking Alejandro Kirk to start the frame. Addison Barger followed with a double that became wedged under the outfield wall, obliging runners to hold at second and third base.

Glasnow, Los Angeles’ Game 3 starter, entered in relief and induced a pop fly before Giménez hit a line drive to left. Hernández caught the ball and threw to second to double off the runner, clinching the win and earning Glasnow his first-ever successful save.

Next Up: Seventh Game

The best-of-seven now boils down to one game. Max Scherzer will start for the Blue Jays, becoming the sole active hurler to start multiple World Series Game 7s after accomplishing that in the 2019 season with Washington. The 40-year-old inked a one-year deal to pursue another championship and has been a vocal leader throughout this postseason.

The Los Angeles squad, looking to become the sport's first back-to-back champions in almost 25 years, are projected to rely on Shohei Ohtani for a short outing.