LA Dodgers Survive in Toronto to Force Winner-Take-All Game 7 in World Series

The championship series is going to a decisive Game 7 after the Dodgers kept their repeat hopes intact Friday night with a 3–1 win over the Blue Jays in Game 6.

The reigning title holders ended Toronto’s ninth-inning rally with a dramatic game-ending twin killing, stunning a Rogers Centre audience that had arrived prepared to celebrate the team's first title in over three decades.

Game 6 Summary

The Dodgers generated all of their offense in the third inning. With two outs, Shohei Ohtani was intentionally walked before Smith hit a two-bagger to left field to bring home Tommy Edman. Freeman earned a base on balls to load the bases, and Betts came through with a two-run single to left, giving the Dodgers a three-run lead.

That key hit snapped a postseason slump and revived the title holders' hopes of becoming the initial back-to-back championship winners since the New York Yankees won three consecutive from 1998 to 2000.

Pitching Duel

Kevin Gausman had been dominant to that point, fanning half a dozen of the initial seven Dodgers he faced. He struck out eight through three frames, tying a Fall Classic record, but the third-frame rally proved decisive. The Blue Jays' star finished with eight strikeouts over six innings, yielding three runs on three hits and two free passes.

Yamamoto, meanwhile, was solid again under pressure. The 27-year-old right-hander outpitched his counterpart for the second time in a week, giving up a single run on five base hits over six frames with six Ks. He boosted his record to four wins and one loss this playoffs with a 1.56 ERA.

The only run against him came on Springer’s two-out single in the third inning, scoring Addison Barger, who had hit a double earlier in the inning. That single offered a brief spark in his comeback to the lineup after missing a pair of contests with an oblique injury.

Bullpen Effort

After that, the Dodgers’ bullpen carried the load. First-year pitcher Wrobleski escaped a jam in the seventh, and another rookie Sasaki worked into the ninth before hitting Kirk to open the inning. Addison Barger then hit a two-base hit that became wedged under the outfield wall, obliging base runners to stay at second and third.

Tyler Glasnow, the Dodgers' third game starter, came on in relief and induced a popout before Giménez hit a line drive to left field. Hernández made the catch and fired to second base to double off the runner, clinching the win and earning the pitcher his first-ever successful save.

Next Up: Seventh Game

The series now comes down to a single contest. Scherzer will start for the Blue Jays, making him the sole active hurler to start multiple seventh games of the World Series after doing so in 2019 with Washington. The 40-year-old inked a single-season contract to chase another championship and has been a outspoken presence throughout this playoff run.

The Los Angeles squad, aiming to be the sport's first back-to-back title winners in nearly a quarter-century, are projected to lean on Shohei Ohtani for a short outing.

Jennifer Klein
Jennifer Klein

A mindfulness coach and writer passionate about helping others find balance and clarity in a fast-paced world.