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This year's World Series is going to a decisive Game 7 following the Los Angeles Dodgers kept their repeat hopes intact on Friday with a 3–1 win over the 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 audience that had come ready to celebrate the city’s first title in 32 years.

Sixth Game Recap

The Dodgers produced all of their scoring in the third inning. With two away, Ohtani was intentionally walked before Will Smith hit a two-bagger to left field to bring home Edman. Freddie Freeman earned a base on balls to load the bases, and Betts came through with a two-run single to left, handing the Dodgers a three-run advantage.

Betts’ hit broke a playoff dry spell and rekindled the defending champions’ hopes of becoming the first repeat World Series victors since the Yankees captured three straight from 1998 to 2000.

Mound Battle

Kevin Gausman had been dominant to that point, striking out half a dozen of the initial seven batters he faced. He fanned eight through three frames, tying a World Series mark, but the third-frame rally proved costly. The Blue Jays' star ended with eight strikeouts over six innings, yielding three runs on three hits and two walks.

Yoshinobu Yamamoto, meanwhile, was steady again under pressure. The 27-year-old right-hander outpitched Gausman for the second occasion in a seven days, giving up one run on five hits over six frames with six strikeouts. He improved to four wins and one loss this postseason with a 1.56 ERA.

The only run against him came on George Springer two-out base hit in the third inning, scoring Addison Barger, who had hit a double previously in the frame. That single provided a brief spark in his comeback to the starting nine after missing two games with an side strain.

Relief Effort

After that, the Dodgers’ bullpen took over. Rookie Justin Wrobleski escaped a tight spot in the seventh inning, and fellow rookie Sasaki worked into the ninth inning before hitting Alejandro Kirk to open the frame. Addison Barger followed with a double that became wedged under the outfield wall, forcing base runners to stay at second and third base.

Tyler Glasnow, Los Angeles’ Game 3 starting pitcher, came on in relief and got a pop fly before Giménez hit a line drive to left field. Hernández caught the ball and fired to second to retire Barger, sealing the victory and giving Glasnow his first career save.

Next Up: Seventh Game

The best-of-seven now comes down to one game. Max Scherzer will take the mound for Toronto, becoming the only living pitcher to pitch in more than one seventh games of the World Series after accomplishing that in 2019 with Washington. The veteran inked a one-year deal to chase one more title and has been a outspoken presence throughout this playoff run.

The Dodgers, aiming to become baseball’s first back-to-back title winners in almost 25 years, are projected to lean on Shohei Ohtani for a brief appearance.