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The championship series is going to a final Game 7 following the Dodgers kept their title defense dreams intact on Friday with a three to one victory over the Toronto Blue Jays in Game 6.

The defending champions halted Toronto’s ninth-inning rally with a dramatic final double play, stunning a home audience that had arrived prepared to celebrate the team's championship in over three decades.

Game 6 Summary

The Dodgers generated all of their scoring in the third inning. With two outs, Shohei Ohtani was purposely passed before Will Smith doubled to left field to bring home Tommy Edman. Freeman earned a base on balls to fill the bases, and Betts came through with a two-run single to left, giving the Dodgers a 3–0 advantage.

Betts’ hit snapped a postseason slump and rekindled the defending champions’ aspirations of becoming the initial back-to-back World Series winners since the New York Yankees won three consecutive from 1998 to 2000.

Mound Duel

Gausman had been dominant to that stage, striking out six of the initial seven Dodgers he confronted. He fanned 8 through three frames, tying a World Series mark, but the third-inning barrage proved decisive. The Blue Jays' star ended with eight strikeouts over six frames, allowing three earned runs on three safeties and two free passes.

Yamamoto, meanwhile, was solid again under pressure. The righty outdueled his counterpart for the second time in a seven days, giving up a single run on five hits over six innings with six strikeouts. He improved to four wins and one loss this playoffs with a 1.56 ERA.

The lone score against him came on George Springer two-out base hit in the third, driving in Addison Barger, who had doubled previously in the frame. That single offered a momentary lift in his comeback to the starting nine after sitting out two games with an oblique injury.

Relief Effort

From there, 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 plunking Alejandro Kirk to open the frame. Barger followed with a two-base hit that got stuck under the outfield wall, obliging runners to stay at second and third.

Glasnow, Los Angeles’ Game 3 starter, came on in relief and induced a popout before Andrés Giménez lined to left field. Hernández made the catch and fired to second to retire Barger, clinching the victory and giving the pitcher his first-ever successful save.

Looking Ahead: Game 7

The best-of-seven now comes down to one game. Scherzer will take the mound for Toronto, becoming the sole active hurler to pitch in multiple World Series Game 7s after doing so in 2019 with Washington. The 40-year-old signed a one-year deal to pursue another championship and has been a outspoken presence throughout this playoff run.

The Dodgers, looking to become baseball’s first back-to-back title winners in almost 25 years, are projected to rely on their two-way star for a short outing.