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This year's World Series is headed to a final seventh game following the Los Angeles Dodgers kept their repeat hopes intact Friday night with a 3–1 win over the Toronto Blue Jays in Game 6.

The reigning title holders halted Toronto’s late-game comeback with a dramatic game-ending twin killing, stunning a home crowd that had arrived prepared to celebrate the city’s championship in over three decades.

Game 6 Recap

Los Angeles produced all of their offense in the third frame. With two away, Ohtani was intentionally walked before Smith doubled to left field to score Tommy Edman. Freddie Freeman drew a walk to load the bases, and Betts came through with a two-run single to the opposite field, handing the Dodgers a 3–0 lead.

That key hit snapped a playoff dry spell and rekindled the defending champions’ aspirations of becoming the first repeat World Series victors since the Yankees captured three consecutive from 1998 to 2000.

Pitching Battle

Kevin Gausman had been nearly unhittable to that point, striking out half a dozen of the initial seven Dodgers he faced. He struck out 8 through three innings, matching a World Series mark, 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, meanwhile, was solid again under pressure. The righty outpitched his counterpart for the second occasion in a week, giving up a single run on five hits over six innings with six Ks. He boosted his record to 4–1 this postseason with a 1.56 ERA.

The lone score against him came on George Springer two-out single in the third inning, driving in Addison Barger, who had hit a double earlier in the inning. That single provided a momentary lift in his return to the starting nine after missing two games with an oblique injury.

Bullpen Heroics

From there, the Dodgers’ bullpen took over. First-year pitcher Justin Wrobleski escaped a jam in the seventh inning, and another rookie Sasaki worked into the ninth inning before hitting Alejandro Kirk to start the inning. Addison Barger followed with a two-base hit that became wedged under the left-center-field fence, obliging base runners to hold at second and third.

Glasnow, Los Angeles’ third game starter, entered in relief and got a pop fly before Giménez lined to left field. Enrique Hernández caught the ball and threw to second to retire Barger, clinching the win and giving Glasnow his first-ever save.

Looking Ahead: Game 7

The series now comes down to a single contest. Max Scherzer will start for Toronto, making him the sole active hurler to start multiple World Series Game 7s after accomplishing that in 2019 with the Nationals. The veteran signed a one-year deal to chase one more title and has been a vocal leader throughout this playoff run.

The Dodgers, looking to become baseball’s initial repeat champions in almost 25 years, are projected to rely on Shohei Ohtani for a brief appearance.