🔗 Share this article

The World Series is headed to a decisive Game 7 after the Dodgers kept alive their title defense hopes intact Friday night with a 3–1 win over the Blue Jays in Game 6.

The defending champions halted Toronto’s ninth-inning rally with a dramatic game-ending double play, stunning a home audience that had arrived prepared to cheer the city’s first title in over three decades.

Game 6 Summary

Los Angeles generated all of their offense in the third frame. With two outs, Ohtani was purposely passed before Smith hit a two-bagger to left field to bring home Tommy Edman. Freeman earned a base on balls to fill the bases, and Betts delivered with a two-RBI hit to the opposite field, handing the Dodgers a three-run advantage.

Betts’ hit broke a playoff dry spell and rekindled the title holders' hopes of being the initial back-to-back championship victors since the New York Yankees captured three straight from 1998 through 2000.

Mound Battle

Gausman had been dominant to that point, fanning half a dozen of the initial seven Dodgers he confronted. He fanned eight through three frames, tying a Fall Classic record, but the third-inning barrage proved costly. The Blue Jays' star finished with eight strikeouts over six frames, allowing three runs on three hits and two walks.

Yamamoto, in contrast, was steady again under pressure. The 27-year-old right-hander outpitched Gausman for the second time in a seven days, giving up one run on five hits over six innings 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 resulted from George Springer two-out base hit in the third, driving in Addison Barger, who had doubled previously in the frame. That single provided a brief spark in his return to the starting nine after missing two games with an side strain.

Relief Effort

From there, the Dodgers’ bullpen took over. First-year pitcher Justin Wrobleski escaped a tight spot in the seventh, and fellow rookie Sasaki worked into the ninth before plunking Kirk to open the frame. Addison Barger followed with a two-base hit that got stuck under the outfield wall, forcing base runners to stay at second and third.

Tyler Glasnow, the Dodgers' Game 3 starter, entered in relief and got a popout before Andrés Giménez hit a line drive to left. Hernández caught the ball and threw to second to double off the runner, sealing the victory and earning the pitcher his first career save.

Next Up: Seventh Game

The series now comes down to a single contest. Max Scherzer will start for Toronto, making him the only living pitcher to start more than one seventh games of the World Series after doing so in the 2019 season with Washington. The veteran signed a one-year deal to chase another championship and has been a vocal leader throughout this playoff run.

The Los Angeles squad, aiming to be the sport's initial repeat title winners in almost 25 years, are projected to lean on their two-way star for a brief appearance.