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This year's championship series is going to a final Game 7 after the Los Angeles Dodgers kept their title defense dreams alive Friday night with a three to one win over the Toronto Blue Jays in Game 6.

The reigning title holders halted Toronto’s late-game comeback with a dramatic final double play, silencing a home crowd that had arrived prepared to celebrate the team's championship in 32 years.

Game 6 Summary

Los Angeles generated all of their scoring in the third frame. With two away, Ohtani was purposely passed before Smith doubled to left to bring home Edman. Freeman drew a walk to fill the bases, and Mookie Betts delivered with a two-run single to the opposite field, giving the Dodgers a 3–0 advantage.

That key hit broke a postseason slump and revived the defending champions’ aspirations of becoming the first repeat championship victors since the New York Yankees won three consecutive from 1998 through 2000.

Mound Duel

Gausman had been nearly unhittable to that point, fanning six of the initial seven batters he confronted. He fanned 8 through three frames, tying a Fall Classic mark, but the third-frame rally proved decisive. The Toronto ace finished with 8 Ks over six innings, yielding three earned runs on three safeties and two walks.

Yamamoto, meanwhile, was steady again under stress. The righty outpitched Gausman for the second time in a seven days, allowing one run on five base hits over six innings with six strikeouts. He boosted his record to 4–1 this postseason 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 brief spark in his comeback to the lineup after missing two games with an side strain.

Bullpen Effort

After that, the Los Angeles relievers carried the load. Rookie Justin Wrobleski got out of a jam in the seventh, and fellow rookie Sasaki pitched into the ninth before plunking Kirk to open the frame. Addison Barger followed with a two-base hit that got stuck under the outfield wall, obliging runners to hold at second and third base.

Glasnow, Los Angeles’ Game 3 starting pitcher, entered in a relief role and got a pop fly before Giménez hit a line drive to left field. Enrique Hernández caught the ball and threw to second to double off Barger, sealing the victory and earning Glasnow his first career successful save.

Next Up: Game 7

The series now boils down to a single contest. Scherzer will take the mound for the Blue Jays, making him the sole active hurler to start more than one World Series Game 7s after doing so in the 2019 season with the Nationals. The veteran signed a single-season contract to pursue another championship and has been a vocal leader throughout this playoff run.

The Dodgers, looking to become the sport's first back-to-back champions in almost 25 years, are projected to rely on Shohei Ohtani for a short outing.