World Series: Dodgers defeat Blue Jays 3-1 to stave off elimination, force Game 7 Saturday

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!

Roki Sasaki’s night is done after he gives up two runners in the ninth.

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.

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 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

He exits after allowing three runs in six innings while striking out eight. Louis Varland is in for the Blue Jays.

A two-out double and a walk brought the go-ahead run to the plate in the bottom of the sixth. Yoshinobu Yamamoto threw his sixth strikeout of the game, however, taking down Daulton Varsho to end the inning.

Huge moment in the game and Yamamoto came through. It’s 3-1 Los Angeles as we hit the seventh.

Big moment here in this game. Can Yamamoto get out of the jam?

Yoshinobu Yamamoto has been plenty sharp once again, but at 75 pitches through five, it seems clear the Dodgers pen will be in play tonight. At his current pace, Yamamoto would have to throw 135 pitches to get through nine, something that doesn’t seem realistic.

In his NLCS complete game against the Brewers, he was at 65 pitches through five and finished at 111 pitches. In Game 2 of the World Series, where he was working on 10 days’ rest, he was at 61 pitches through five and finished at 105 pitches. This time around, the Blue Jays have succeeded at making him work and have made some good contact; their average exit velocity on their 13 balls in play is 91.7 mph. That figure is 85.0 mph for Kevin Gausman.

The Dodgers’ bats have clammed up since the third. Another 1-2-3 inning for Kevin Glausman. It’s 3-1 Los Angeles as we head to the bottom of the sixth.

Another quick inning for Yoshinobu Yamamoto despite giving up a two-out hit. The Dodgers’ starter has been the game’s best player so far tonight. Los Angeles leads 3-1 headed to the sixth.

After allowing three runs in the third, Kevin Gausman has retired seven straight Dodgers, including Shohei Ohtani and Will Smith in the fifth. Can the Blue Jays capitalize on offense? The Dodgers still lead 3-1.

A Bo Bichette single brought the tying runner to the plate, but Daulton Varsho grounded out into an inning-ending double play. Nice fielding by the Dodgers to keep their lead at 3-1.

Yamamoto has thrown only 58 pitches through 4 innings, allowing three hits.

1-2-3 fourth inning for Kevin Gausman, who bounced back from the three-run third. Vlad Guerrero Jr. will lead off for the Blue Jays in the bottom half.

An Addison Barger leadoff single turned into a two-out run, but Yoshinobu Yamamoto got Nathan Lukes to fly out after a George Springer single to end the inning. The Dodgers’ lead is now 3-1.

George Springer returns to the lineup and gets Toronto on the board with a two-out RBI single!

Kevin Gausman struck out Teoscar Hernandez to end the third inning, but not after the Dodgers did some damage. Los Angeles scored three two-out runs to take a 3-0 lead into the bottom of the inning. Has the Dodgers’ offense finally woken up?

Mookie Betts knocks a single into left that scores two! The Dodgers lead 3-0.

Freddie Freeman walked, and now the bags are full for Betts. The Dodgers are hitless in their last 13 at-bats with the bases loaded. Can Betts blow this game open?

It’s 1-0 Los Angeles after an RBI double from Will Smith.

Tommy Edman scored, while an intentionally-walked Shohei Ohtani is on third.

Yoshinobu Yamamoto is putting his own stamp on this game. He retired the Jays in order in the second inning, and he’s thrown only 27 pitches through two.

Kiké Hernández is due up next for the Dodgers.

Another 1-2-3 inning for Kevin Gausman, who struck out two more Dodgers in the second inning. Will we have a pitchers’ duel tonight? It’s Yoshinobu Yamamoto’s turn to hold serve for the Los Angeles.

Nathan Lukes hit a one-out single for the Blue Jays, but the Dodgers turned two to get out of the first inning unscathed. Mookie Betts will lead off for Los Angeles in the top of the second.

What an electric start to Game 6, as Kevin Gausman mowed down the Dodgers in the top of the first. He struck out the side in only 16 pitches.

It’s LOUD in Toronto.

And Kevin Gausman is on the mound for the Blue Jays. Game 6 of the World Series is underway.

Will the Dodgers keep the World Series or alive? Or will Toronto win its first championship since 1993?

Gausman has allowed four runs on 10 hits with nine walks and 12 strikeouts over 18.0 innings. Gausman started Game 1 of the ALDS against the Yankees, Games 1 and 5 of the ALCS, appeared in relief in Game 7 against the Mariners, and started Game 2 of the World Series against Los Angeles.

In his most recent outing, he allowed 3 earned runs over 6.2 innings pitched against the Dodgers in Game 2.

Yamamoto has made four starts in the playoffs, allowing five runs on 17 hits with four walks and 26 strikeouts in 28.2 innings pitched.

In Game 2 against the Blue Jays, he allowed one run on four hits with no walks and eight strikeouts in his second complete game of the postseason.

Game 6 tonight is the first time the Dodgers are facing elimination in the postseason since Game 5 of the 2024 NLDS against the Padres. A win would push the series to a Game 7, the first time since a 2019 matchup between the Houston Astros and Washington Nationals.

Saturday's game would be the 45th Game 7 in World Series history.

Trey Yesavage became the youngest pitcher ever with at least 10 strikeouts in a World Series game in his dominant outing Wednesday in Los Angeles. He's also the first rookie pitcher with multiple 10-strikeout games in a single postseason and the first pitcher to record each of his first two career 10-strikeout games (regular season or Postseason) in the postseason.

The Japanese sensation has been incredible so far in the postseason. Will it continue on Friday and force a Game 7?