Los Angeles Dodgers Survive in Canada to Force Decisive Game 7 in World Series

The World Series is headed to a decisive seventh game following the Dodgers kept their repeat hopes intact Friday night with a 3–1 victory over the Blue Jays in Game 6.

The defending champions ended Toronto’s ninth-inning rally with a dramatic final twin killing, silencing a Rogers Centre crowd that had arrived prepared to celebrate the city’s championship in 32 years.

Game 6 Summary

The Dodgers generated all of their scoring in the third inning. With two away, Shohei Ohtani was purposely passed before Will Smith doubled to left field to bring home Tommy Edman. Freeman drew a walk to fill the bases, and Mookie Betts delivered with a two-RBI hit to left, handing the Dodgers a 3–0 lead.

Betts’ hit broke a playoff dry spell and rekindled the title holders' aspirations of being the first repeat championship victors since the Yankees won three straight from 1998 to 2000.

Mound Battle

Gausman had been nearly unhittable to that point, striking out half a dozen of the first seven Dodgers he faced. He struck out eight through three frames, matching a World Series mark, but the third-inning barrage proved costly. The Toronto ace ended with eight strikeouts over six frames, allowing three runs on three safeties and two walks.

Yoshinobu Yamamoto, meanwhile, was steady again under pressure. The righty outpitched Gausman for the second occasion in a week, allowing a single run on five base hits over six frames with six Ks. He improved to four wins and one loss this playoffs with a 1.56 ERA.

The only run against him resulted from Springer’s two-out single in the third, driving in Barger, who had hit a double earlier in the inning. That single provided a momentary lift in his return to the lineup after sitting out two games with an side strain.

Bullpen Effort

From there, the Los Angeles relievers carried the load. First-year pitcher Wrobleski escaped a tight spot in the seventh, and fellow rookie Rōki Sasaki worked into the ninth before plunking Kirk to start the frame. Barger followed with a double that became wedged under the outfield wall, forcing base runners to stay at second and third base.

Glasnow, the Dodgers' third game starter, came on in relief and got a popout before Andrés Giménez hit a line drive to left. Enrique Hernández caught the ball and threw to second to retire the runner, clinching the win and earning the pitcher his first career save.

Next Up: Game 7

The series now boils down to a single contest. Scherzer will start for the Blue Jays, becoming the sole active hurler to start more than one seventh games of the World Series after accomplishing that in the 2019 season with Washington. The veteran inked a single-season contract to pursue one more title and has been a vocal leader throughout this playoff run.

The Dodgers, aiming to be baseball’s initial repeat title winners in almost 25 years, are projected to lean on Shohei Ohtani for a brief appearance.