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This year's World Series is headed to a final Game 7 following the Los Angeles Dodgers kept their title defense dreams intact on Friday with a 3–1 victory over the Toronto Blue Jays in Game 6.

The reigning title holders ended Toronto’s ninth-inning rally with a thrilling game-ending twin killing, stunning a Rogers Centre crowd that had arrived prepared to celebrate the team's first title in over three decades.

Sixth Game Recap

The Dodgers produced all of their offense in the third inning. With two away, Ohtani was intentionally walked before Smith hit a two-bagger to left field to bring home Tommy Edman. Freddie Freeman earned a base on balls to load the bases, and Mookie Betts delivered with a two-run single to left, handing the Dodgers a 3–0 lead.

Betts’ hit snapped a playoff dry spell and revived the title holders' aspirations of becoming the first repeat World Series victors since the New York Yankees captured three consecutive from 1998 to 2000.

Pitching Battle

Kevin Gausman had been nearly unhittable to that point, fanning six of the first seven Dodgers he faced. He fanned 8 through three frames, tying a World Series mark, but the third-inning barrage proved decisive. The Blue Jays' star ended with 8 Ks over six innings, allowing three runs on three hits and two walks.

Yamamoto, in contrast, was steady again under stress. The 27-year-old right-hander outdueled his counterpart for the second occasion in a seven days, allowing one run on five hits over six innings with six Ks. He boosted his record to four wins and one loss this playoffs with a 1.56 ERA.

The lone score against him resulted from George Springer two-out single in the third inning, scoring Barger, who had doubled earlier in the inning. Springer’s hit offered a momentary lift in his comeback to the starting nine after missing two games with an side strain.

Bullpen Heroics

After that, the Dodgers’ bullpen took over. Rookie Justin Wrobleski escaped a tight spot in the seventh, and fellow rookie Rōki Sasaki pitched into the ninth inning before hitting Kirk to start the inning. Barger followed with a double that got stuck under the outfield wall, obliging runners to stay at second and third base.

Tyler Glasnow, Los Angeles’ third game starter, entered in relief and induced a popout before Andrés Giménez hit a line drive to left. Enrique Hernández caught the ball and threw to second to double off the runner, sealing the win and giving the pitcher his first career save.

Next Up: Game 7

The series now boils down to one game. Max Scherzer will take the mound for the Blue Jays, making him the only living pitcher to pitch in more than one seventh games of the World Series after accomplishing that in 2019 with Washington. The veteran inked a single-season contract to chase one more title and has been a outspoken presence throughout this postseason.

The Dodgers, looking to be baseball’s first back-to-back title winners in almost 25 years, are expected to rely on Shohei Ohtani for a brief appearance.