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This year's championship series is going to a final Game 7 following the 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 late-game comeback with a thrilling game-ending double play, stunning a home crowd that had come ready to cheer the city’s championship in over three decades.

Sixth Game Recap

Los Angeles produced all of their offense in the third frame. With two outs, Shohei Ohtani was intentionally walked before Will Smith hit a two-bagger to left to score Edman. Freeman drew a walk to load the bases, and Mookie Betts delivered with a two-RBI hit to left, giving the Dodgers a 3–0 advantage.

Betts’ hit snapped a playoff dry spell and revived the defending champions’ hopes of being the initial back-to-back World Series winners since the Yankees captured three straight from 1998 to 2000.

Mound Battle

Gausman had been nearly unhittable to that stage, striking out half a dozen of the first seven Dodgers he faced. He struck out 8 through three innings, tying a World Series mark, but the third-frame rally proved decisive. The Blue Jays' star ended with eight strikeouts over six frames, yielding three runs on three safeties and two free passes.

Yamamoto, in contrast, was solid again under stress. The righty outpitched Gausman for the second time in a seven days, giving up one run on five base hits over six innings with six Ks. He improved to 4–1 this playoffs with a 1.56 ERA.

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

Relief Heroics

From there, the Dodgers’ bullpen took over. Rookie Wrobleski got out of a tight spot in the seventh inning, and fellow rookie Sasaki worked into the ninth before hitting Kirk to open the frame. Barger followed with a double that became wedged under the left-center-field fence, forcing base runners to stay at second and third base.

Tyler Glasnow, Los Angeles’ third game starter, entered in a relief role and got a popout before Giménez lined to left. Enrique Hernández caught the ball and fired to second base to retire the runner, sealing the win and earning Glasnow his first-ever successful save.

Looking Ahead: Game 7

The series now boils down to one game. Max Scherzer will start for the Blue Jays, making him the only living pitcher to start multiple World Series Game 7s after accomplishing that in 2019 with the Nationals. The 40-year-old inked a single-season contract to pursue one more title and has been a vocal leader throughout this postseason.

The Los Angeles squad, looking to become the sport's first back-to-back title winners in nearly a quarter-century, are expected to lean on Shohei Ohtani for a brief appearance.