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The World Series is headed to a final seventh game after the Dodgers kept alive their repeat hopes alive on Friday with a 3–1 victory over the Toronto Blue Jays in Game 6.

The defending champions ended Toronto’s late-game comeback with a dramatic final twin killing, stunning a home audience that had come ready to celebrate the city’s championship in over three decades.

Game 6 Recap

The Dodgers generated all of their offense in the third frame. With two outs, Shohei Ohtani was intentionally walked before Smith hit a two-bagger to left field to score Edman. Freeman drew a walk to fill the bases, and Mookie Betts came through with a two-RBI hit to the opposite field, giving the Dodgers a 3–0 lead.

That key hit broke a playoff dry spell and rekindled the defending champions’ aspirations of being the first repeat championship winners since the New York Yankees won three consecutive from 1998 to 2000.

Mound Duel

Gausman had been nearly unhittable to that point, striking out half a dozen of the first seven Dodgers he confronted. He fanned eight through three innings, tying a World Series record, but the third-frame rally proved costly. The Toronto ace ended with eight strikeouts over six frames, allowing three runs on three safeties and two walks.

Yoshinobu Yamamoto, meanwhile, was solid again under stress. The 27-year-old right-hander outpitched Gausman for the second occasion in a week, giving up one run on five base hits over six frames with six strikeouts. He improved to four wins and one loss this postseason with a 1.56 ERA.

The lone score against him came on George Springer two-out single in the third inning, driving in Barger, who had doubled previously in the frame. Springer’s hit offered a momentary lift in his comeback to the lineup after missing two games with an side strain.

Relief Heroics

After that, the Los Angeles relievers carried the load. Rookie Justin Wrobleski got out of a tight spot in the seventh, and another rookie Sasaki pitched into the ninth inning before hitting Kirk to open the inning. Barger then hit a double that got stuck under the left-center-field fence, obliging runners to hold at second and third.

Glasnow, the Dodgers' third game starter, entered in relief and got a popout before Andrés Giménez lined to left. Hernández caught the ball and threw to second to double off Barger, sealing the victory and giving the pitcher his first career successful save.

Next Up: Seventh Game

The series now comes down to a single contest. Max Scherzer will take the mound for the Blue Jays, becoming the sole active hurler to start multiple World Series Game 7s after accomplishing that in 2019 with the Nationals. The 40-year-old inked a one-year deal to pursue another championship and has been a outspoken presence throughout this postseason.

The Dodgers, looking to be the sport's initial repeat title winners in almost 25 years, are expected to lean on their two-way star for a brief appearance.