Los Angeles Dodgers Hold On in Canada to Force Winner-Take-All Game 7 in World Series
The World Series is headed to a final Game 7 after the Dodgers kept their title defense hopes intact Friday night with a 3–1 win over the Toronto Blue Jays in Game 6.
The defending champions halted Toronto’s ninth-inning rally with a dramatic final double play, stunning a home audience that had arrived prepared to celebrate the team's championship in 32 years.
Game 6 Recap
The Dodgers produced all of their offense in the third frame. With two away, Ohtani was intentionally walked before Will Smith doubled to left to bring home Tommy Edman. Freeman drew a walk to load the bases, and Betts came through with a two-RBI hit to left, giving the Dodgers a 3–0 advantage.
Betts’ hit broke a postseason slump and revived the defending champions’ aspirations of becoming the initial back-to-back World Series victors since the New York Yankees won three straight from 1998 through 2000.
Mound Duel
Gausman had been dominant to that stage, striking out half a dozen of the first seven Dodgers he confronted. He fanned eight through three frames, tying a Fall Classic mark, but the third-inning barrage proved costly. The Blue Jays' star ended with eight strikeouts over six innings, allowing three runs on three safeties and two free passes.
Yamamoto, meanwhile, was steady again under pressure. The 27-year-old right-hander outdueled his counterpart for the second occasion in a seven days, giving up one run on five base hits over six innings with six Ks. He improved to four wins and one loss this postseason with a 1.56 ERA.
The only run against him resulted from George Springer two-out base hit in the third, driving in Barger, who had doubled previously in the frame. That single offered a momentary lift in his return to the lineup after sitting out a pair of contests with an oblique injury.
Bullpen Effort
After that, the Los Angeles relievers took over. Rookie Justin Wrobleski got out of a jam in the seventh inning, and fellow rookie Rōki Sasaki worked into the ninth inning before plunking Alejandro Kirk to start the inning. Addison Barger followed with a two-base hit that got stuck under the outfield wall, obliging runners to stay at second and third.
Glasnow, the Dodgers' third game starter, entered in a relief role and got a pop fly before Giménez hit a line drive to left. Enrique Hernández caught the ball and threw to second to double off Barger, clinching the victory and giving Glasnow his first career save.
Next Up: Game 7
The series now boils down to one game. Max Scherzer will take the mound for Toronto, becoming the sole active hurler to pitch in multiple seventh games of the World Series after doing so in 2019 with the Nationals. The veteran signed a one-year deal to chase another championship and has been a vocal leader throughout this playoff run.
The Dodgers, aiming to become baseball’s initial repeat champions in nearly a quarter-century, are projected to lean on Shohei Ohtani for a brief appearance.