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The World Series is headed to a final seventh game after the Los Angeles Dodgers kept their repeat hopes alive on Friday with a 3–1 win over the Blue Jays in Game 6.

The reigning title holders halted Toronto’s late-game comeback with a thrilling game-ending double play, silencing a Rogers Centre crowd that had arrived prepared to celebrate the team's championship in over three decades.

Game 6 Recap

Los Angeles produced all of their offense in the third inning. With two away, Shohei Ohtani was purposely passed before Smith doubled to left to bring home Tommy Edman. Freeman earned a base on balls to fill the bases, and Mookie Betts delivered with a two-run single to left, giving the Dodgers a three-run lead.

That key hit snapped a postseason slump and revived the title holders' aspirations of becoming the first repeat championship winners since the Yankees won three straight from 1998 to 2000.

Pitching Duel

Kevin Gausman had been dominant to that stage, fanning six of the first seven batters he faced. He fanned eight through three innings, matching a Fall Classic record, but the third-frame rally proved decisive. The Toronto ace ended with eight strikeouts over six innings, yielding three runs on three safeties and two free passes.

Yamamoto, meanwhile, was solid again under stress. The 27-year-old right-hander outpitched his counterpart for the second time in a week, giving up one run on five hits over six frames with six strikeouts. He boosted his record to 4–1 this postseason with a 1.56 ERA.

The lone score against him resulted from George Springer two-out base hit in the third, scoring Barger, who had hit a double earlier in the inning. Springer’s hit provided a brief spark in his return to the starting nine after sitting out two games with an oblique injury.

Relief Effort

After that, the Los Angeles relievers took over. Rookie Justin Wrobleski got out of a tight spot in the seventh, and fellow rookie Rōki Sasaki pitched into the ninth inning 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.

Tyler Glasnow, the Dodgers' third game starting pitcher, came on in relief and got a pop fly before Giménez lined to left. Hernández caught the ball and fired to second base to retire Barger, sealing the victory and earning the pitcher his first-ever successful save.

Next Up: Seventh Game

The series now boils down to one game. Scherzer will take the mound for the Blue Jays, making him the only living pitcher to pitch in multiple World Series Game 7s after accomplishing that in 2019 with the Nationals. The veteran inked a single-season contract to chase one more title and has been a vocal leader throughout this postseason.

The Dodgers, looking to be baseball’s initial repeat champions in almost 25 years, are expected to rely on their two-way star for a brief appearance.