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The World Series is going to a final Game 7 after the Los Angeles Dodgers kept their repeat hopes intact Friday night with a 3–1 victory over the Toronto Blue Jays in Game 6.

The defending champions halted Toronto’s ninth-inning rally with a thrilling final double play, silencing a home audience that had come ready to celebrate the city’s first title in over three decades.

Game 6 Recap

Los Angeles produced all of their scoring in the third frame. With two outs, Shohei Ohtani was purposely passed before Smith hit a two-bagger to left field to score Edman. 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 advantage.

Betts’ hit snapped a postseason slump and revived the title holders' aspirations of becoming the first repeat World Series victors since the New York Yankees captured three straight from 1998 through 2000.

Pitching Duel

Gausman had been dominant to that stage, fanning half a dozen of the first seven Dodgers he faced. He fanned 8 through three frames, tying a World Series mark, but the third-frame rally proved decisive. The Toronto ace ended with 8 Ks over six innings, yielding three runs on three hits and two walks.

Yoshinobu Yamamoto, meanwhile, was solid again under stress. The righty outpitched Gausman for the second time in a week, giving up one run on five hits over six frames with six Ks. He boosted his record to four wins and one loss this playoffs with a 1.56 ERA.

The only run against him came on George Springer two-out single in the third, scoring Addison Barger, who had doubled previously in the frame. Springer’s hit provided a momentary lift in his comeback to the lineup after sitting out two games with an side strain.

Relief Effort

After that, the Los Angeles relievers took over. Rookie Wrobleski escaped a tight spot in the seventh, and fellow rookie Rōki Sasaki worked into the ninth before plunking Alejandro Kirk to open the frame. Addison Barger followed with a two-base hit that became wedged under the left-center-field fence, forcing runners to hold at second and third.

Tyler Glasnow, Los Angeles’ third game starting pitcher, came on in relief and got a pop fly before Andrés Giménez hit a line drive to left field. Hernández made the catch and threw to second base to double off Barger, clinching the win and giving Glasnow his first career save.

Looking Ahead: Seventh Game

The best-of-seven now boils down to one game. Scherzer will take the mound for the Blue Jays, making him the sole active hurler to start multiple seventh games of the World Series after accomplishing that in the 2019 season with the Nationals. The veteran inked a one-year deal to pursue one more title and has been a outspoken presence throughout this postseason.

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