The Los Angeles Dodgers are still alive.
The Dodgers scored three runs in the third inning en route to a 3-1 win over the Toronto Blue Jays in Game 6 of the World Series. Los Angeles forced a Game 7 that will be played at 8 p.m. ET on Saturday night in a winner-take-all matchup.
Starter Yoshinobu Yamamoto was lights out for the Dodgers, allowing only five hits and one run while striking out six batters over six innings.
The Blue Jays had runners on second and third with no outs in the bottom of the ninth, a chance to tie or win the game. But after Tyler Glasnow entered, Toronto quickly recorded three outs, including a game-ending double play on a lineout to left field.
"We live for Game 7s," Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said, "so here we go."
Los Angeles did the bulk of its damage in the third inning, all with two outs. Will Smith hit an RBI double after a Tommy Edman double and Shohei Ohtani intentional walk. And then, following a Freddie Freeman walk, Mookie Betts hit a two-run single with the bases loaded.
“I just want to be there to help the boys and I came up in a big spot,” Betts said postgame. “My wife tells me all the time to just stay in the moment. Just be ready for this next moment ... I was able to lock in.”
The Blue Jays answered with one run in the bottom of that inning with a George Springer single, but their bats were ultimately silent for the rest of the night.
This was the Dodgers’ best offensive night since the marathon Game 3, when they scored six runs in an 18-inning affair that tied the record for longest World Series game. Over the last two games, Los Angeles combined to score only three runs.
Toronto, meanwhile, tied its worst offensive performance of the World Series, scoring only the lone run. The Blue Jays had scored six in each of the last two games, and five in Game 3.
Yamamoto entered Game 6 with a 3-1 record in the playoffs and a 1.57 ERA in four starts. He’s now won three straight starts to improve to 4-1, and he finishes the postseason allowing only one run in each of his last three starts.
Dodgers reliever Roki Sasaki pitched into the ninth, making only his second appearance in the series. He gave way to Glasnow — a potential Game 7 starter — who got Ernie Clement to pop out and Andres Giminez to line out to left. Kiké Hernández made the catch and throw to second to double off Addison Barger and end the game.
Future Hall of Fame pitcher Max Scherzer will start Game 7 for Toronto opposite Ohtani, a two-way superstar who pitched in Game 4.
Double play! Game over!
Oh my goodness!
Andres Giminez lined out to left field, and Kiké Hernández uncorked a strike to Migel Rojas at second to double off Addison Barger. Game over! We’re getting a Game 7!
Tyler Glasnow coming in
Roki Sasaki’s night is done after he gives up two runners in the ninth.
Tying runner at second after dead ball!
Chaos in the bottom of the ninth! Addison Barger hit a double to left center that got stuck in the bottom of the wall. The umps called it a dead ball, which means Alejandro Kirk is stuck at third instead of scoring.
Tying runner at the plate!
Alejandro Kirk was hit by a pitch, and now Addison Barger is up with a chance to tie the game with a swing of the bat.
Dodgers can’t add to lead in the ninth
Dodgers go down in order in the top of the ninth. They’ve been scoreless since the third inning.
Bottom of the order coming up for the Blue Jays, who trail 3-1.
Blue Jays come up scoreless in eighth
George Springer singled past the first base bag and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. walked with one out but Dodgers reliever Roki Sasaki got Bo Bichette to foul out and struck out Daulton Varsho.
We head to the 9th.
Blue Jays get out of bases-loaded jam
After Shohei Ohtani doubled to center field and Will Smith was intentionally walked, Freddie Freeman flied out before Mookie Betts was walked to load the bases with two outs.
Seranthony Domínguez came in the game for Toronto and was able to strike out Teoscar Hernández to end the inning.
We head to the bottom of the eighth.
Dodgers appear set to ask for six outs from Sasaki
The Dodgers got a scoreless seventh from Justin Wrobleski with a two-run lead. That means six outs to go and a big question about whether to ask Roki Sasaki to get all of them. As is, it appears that’s the plan, as Sasaki started warming up after Ernie Clement’s two-out double in the seventh.
Sasaki’s only previous World Series experience was in the marathon Game 3, when he retired five batters and threw 29 pitches. He threw three innings in his most dominant outing of the postseason to finish off the Phillies in the NLDS, so two innings doesn’t seem like a stretch. The Dodgers will need to him to be sharp, though. As impressive as Sasaki’s velocity has been in October, his 6/4 K/BB in 9 2/3 innings doesn’t scream greatness.
If Sasaki starts to falter, it’d be interesting to see if the Dodgers would consider Game 3 hero Will Klein. Klein got the win for holding the Blue Jays to just one hit from the 15th through the 18th innings. He’s pitched five scoreless frames overall in the World Series after being left off the roster for the Dodgers’ first three series. Certainly, one would hope he’s at least ahead of Blake Treinen on the depth chart at this point.
Wrobleski gets out of small jam
Justin Wrobleski allowed a two-out double, but struck out Andres Giminez to end the inning. Los Angeles still leads 3-1 as we go to the eighth.
1-2-3 inning for Louis Varland, Yamamoto done
The Dodgers have their fourth-straight hitless inning, and now they’ll turn to the bullpen.
Justin Wrobleski is in for Yoshinobu Yamamoto, who struck out six in six innings, and allowed only one run on five hits.
