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The World Series is headed to a final Game 7 following the Los Angeles Dodgers kept alive their repeat hopes intact on Friday with a 3–1 win over the Toronto Blue Jays in Game 6.

The reigning title holders ended Toronto’s ninth-inning rally with a thrilling game-ending double play, silencing a Rogers Centre crowd that had come ready to celebrate the team's championship in over three decades.

Sixth Game Recap

The Dodgers produced all of their offense in the third frame. With two outs, Ohtani was purposely passed before Smith doubled to left field to bring home Tommy Edman. Freddie Freeman earned a base on balls to load the bases, and Betts delivered with a two-run single to left, giving the Dodgers a 3–0 lead.

That key hit broke a playoff dry spell and rekindled the defending champions’ hopes of becoming the first repeat championship winners since the New York Yankees captured three straight from 1998 through 2000.

Pitching Duel

Kevin Gausman had been dominant to that point, fanning half a dozen of the initial seven Dodgers he confronted. He fanned 8 through three innings, matching a Fall Classic record, but the third-inning barrage proved costly. The Toronto ace ended with 8 Ks over six frames, yielding three runs on three hits and two free passes.

Yamamoto, meanwhile, was solid again under pressure. The righty outpitched Gausman for the second occasion in a seven days, giving up a single run on five base hits over six innings with six Ks. He boosted his record to 4–1 this playoffs with a 1.56 ERA.

The lone score against him resulted from Springer’s two-out base hit in the third, scoring Addison Barger, who had doubled previously in the frame. Springer’s hit provided a brief spark in his return to the starting nine after sitting out two games with an side strain.

Relief Effort

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

Glasnow, the Dodgers' third game starter, came on in a relief role and got a popout before Giménez lined to left field. Enrique Hernández made the catch and fired to second base to retire the runner, sealing the win and earning the pitcher his first-ever save.

Next Up: Seventh Game

The best-of-seven now boils down to one game. Scherzer will take the mound for the Blue Jays, becoming the only living pitcher to pitch in multiple seventh games of the World Series after doing so in 2019 with Washington. The 40-year-old signed a one-year deal to pursue one more title and has been a outspoken presence throughout this playoff run.

The Dodgers, aiming to be the sport's initial repeat title winners in nearly a quarter-century, are expected to rely on Shohei Ohtani for a brief appearance.