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The championship series is going to a final seventh game following the Los Angeles Dodgers kept alive their title defense hopes intact on Friday with a three to one victory over the Blue Jays in Game 6.

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

Sixth Game Summary

The Dodgers generated all of their scoring in the third frame. With two outs, Ohtani was intentionally walked before Smith hit a two-bagger to left field to bring home Tommy Edman. Freeman drew a walk to fill the bases, and Mookie Betts came through with a two-RBI hit to the opposite field, handing the Dodgers a 3–0 lead.

Betts’ hit snapped a postseason slump and revived the defending champions’ aspirations of being the first repeat World Series winners since the Yankees won three consecutive from 1998 to 2000.

Mound Duel

Kevin Gausman had been dominant to that stage, fanning half a dozen of the first seven batters he faced. He struck out 8 through three innings, matching a Fall Classic mark, but the third-frame rally proved decisive. The Blue Jays' star finished with 8 Ks over six innings, allowing three earned runs on three safeties and two free passes.

Yoshinobu Yamamoto, in contrast, was steady again under stress. The righty outpitched his counterpart for the second time in a seven days, giving up a single run on five hits over six frames with six Ks. He improved to 4–1 this playoffs with a 1.56 ERA.

The only run against him resulted from Springer’s two-out base hit in the third inning, driving in Barger, who had doubled previously in the frame. That single offered a brief spark in his return to the lineup after missing a pair of contests with an oblique injury.

Relief Heroics

After that, the Dodgers’ bullpen took over. First-year pitcher Justin Wrobleski got out of a jam in the seventh, and fellow rookie Sasaki pitched into the ninth before plunking Kirk to start the inning. Addison Barger then hit a double that got stuck under the outfield wall, forcing runners to stay at second and third base.

Tyler Glasnow, Los Angeles’ third game starter, came on in a relief role and got a popout before Giménez lined to left field. Hernández caught the ball and threw to second to double off the runner, sealing the victory and giving Glasnow his first-ever save.

Next Up: Game 7

The series now boils down to one game. Max Scherzer will take the mound for the Blue Jays, making him the sole active hurler to pitch in more than one World Series Game 7s after doing so in the 2019 season with the Nationals. The veteran inked a one-year deal to chase another championship and has been a vocal leader throughout this playoff run.

The Los Angeles squad, looking to become the sport's first back-to-back champions in almost 25 years, are expected to lean on Shohei Ohtani for a brief appearance.