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This year's World Series is headed to a final Game 7 following the Dodgers kept alive their repeat dreams intact Friday night with a three to one victory over the Blue Jays in Game 6.

The reigning title holders halted Toronto’s ninth-inning rally with a thrilling game-ending double play, stunning a Rogers Centre crowd that had arrived prepared to celebrate the city’s first title in over three decades.

Sixth Game Recap

Los Angeles generated all of their scoring in the third inning. With two outs, Shohei Ohtani was purposely passed before Will Smith doubled to left to score Tommy Edman. Freddie Freeman earned a base on balls to fill the bases, and Betts delivered with a two-RBI hit to left, handing the Dodgers a 3–0 advantage.

That key hit broke a postseason slump and rekindled the title holders' aspirations of becoming the first repeat championship winners since the Yankees won three straight from 1998 through 2000.

Mound Battle

Kevin Gausman had been dominant to that point, fanning half a dozen of the first seven batters he confronted. He struck out 8 through three innings, tying a World Series mark, but the third-frame rally proved decisive. The Toronto ace ended with eight strikeouts over six innings, allowing three earned runs on three hits and two walks.

Yamamoto, meanwhile, was solid again under pressure. The righty outpitched his counterpart for the second occasion in a seven days, allowing a single run on five hits over six frames with six Ks. He improved to 4–1 this postseason with a 1.56 ERA.

The lone score against him came on Springer’s two-out base hit in the third, driving in Barger, who had hit a double earlier in the inning. Springer’s hit provided a momentary lift in his return to the lineup after missing a pair of contests with an side strain.

Bullpen Effort

From there, the Dodgers’ bullpen took over. First-year pitcher Justin Wrobleski escaped a tight spot in the seventh, and another rookie Rōki Sasaki worked into the ninth inning before plunking Alejandro Kirk to open the inning. Barger followed with a double that became wedged under the left-center-field fence, obliging runners to stay at second and third.

Glasnow, Los Angeles’ third game starting pitcher, came on in relief and got a popout before Giménez hit a line drive to left field. Enrique Hernández caught the ball and fired to second base to retire Barger, clinching the win and giving the pitcher his first-ever successful save.

Looking Ahead: Seventh Game

The best-of-seven now boils down to one game. Scherzer will take the mound for the Blue Jays, becoming the sole active hurler to start multiple seventh games of the World Series after doing so in the 2019 season with Washington. The 40-year-old signed a one-year deal to chase another championship and has been a vocal leader throughout this playoff run.

The Los Angeles squad, aiming to be the sport's first back-to-back title winners in almost 25 years, are expected to rely on their two-way star for a brief appearance.