LA Dodgers Hold On in Canada to Force Decisive Game 7 in Fall Classic
The World Series is headed to a final seventh game after the Los Angeles Dodgers kept their title defense hopes intact Friday night with a three to one victory over the Toronto Blue Jays in Game 6.
The reigning title holders ended Torontoâs ninth-inning rally with a dramatic final twin killing, silencing a home crowd that had come ready to celebrate the team's first title in over three decades.
Sixth Game Summary
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 earned a base on balls to fill the bases, and Mookie Betts came through with a two-run single to left, handing the Dodgers a three-run advantage.
Bettsâ hit broke a postseason slump and revived the title holders' hopes of being the initial back-to-back championship victors since the New York Yankees won three straight from 1998 through 2000.
Pitching Battle
Gausman had been dominant to that stage, striking out half a dozen of the first seven batters he confronted. He struck out eight through three frames, tying a World Series mark, but the third-inning barrage proved costly. The Toronto ace ended with eight strikeouts over six innings, yielding three earned runs on three safeties and two walks.
Yamamoto, in contrast, was solid again under stress. The 27-year-old right-hander outdueled Gausman for the second time in a seven days, allowing a single run on five hits over six innings with six strikeouts. He improved to 4â1 this postseason with a 1.56 ERA.
The only run against him came on George Springer two-out single in the third inning, driving in Barger, who had doubled previously in the frame. That single provided a brief spark in his comeback to the starting nine after sitting out a pair of contests with an side strain.
Bullpen Effort
After that, the Dodgersâ bullpen took over. First-year pitcher Wrobleski got out of a tight spot in the seventh inning, and fellow rookie RĆki Sasaki pitched into the ninth before plunking Kirk to start the frame. Barger then hit a two-base hit that became wedged under the outfield wall, forcing runners to stay at second and third base.
Glasnow, Los Angelesâ third game starting pitcher, entered in relief and induced a popout before GimĂ©nez lined to left. Enrique HernĂĄndez made the catch and threw to second to double off Barger, sealing the victory and earning Glasnow his first career save.
Next Up: Seventh Game
The series now boils down to one game. Max Scherzer will start for Toronto, becoming the only living pitcher to pitch in more than one seventh games of the World Series after doing so in the 2019 season with Washington. The 40-year-old signed a single-season contract to chase another championship and has been a vocal leader throughout this postseason.
The Dodgers, aiming to become baseballâs first back-to-back champions in almost 25 years, are expected to lean on Shohei Ohtani for a brief appearance.