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This year's championship series is going to a final seventh game after the Dodgers kept alive their repeat hopes intact on Friday with a 3–1 win over the Blue Jays in Game 6.

The reigning title holders halted Toronto’s late-game comeback with a thrilling game-ending double play, stunning a Rogers Centre crowd that had come ready to celebrate the team's first title in over three decades.

Game 6 Recap

The Dodgers generated all of their scoring in the third inning. With two outs, Shohei Ohtani was intentionally walked before Will Smith hit a two-bagger to left to bring home Edman. Freeman drew a walk to fill the bases, and Betts came through with a two-run single to left, giving the Dodgers a three-run lead.

That key hit snapped a playoff dry spell and rekindled the title holders' aspirations of being the initial back-to-back championship winners since the New York Yankees won three straight from 1998 to 2000.

Mound Duel

Gausman had been dominant to that stage, fanning six of the first seven batters he faced. He struck out eight through three innings, tying a World Series mark, but the third-inning barrage proved costly. The Blue Jays' star finished with 8 Ks over six innings, yielding three earned runs on three safeties and two walks.

Yamamoto, in contrast, was steady again under stress. The 27-year-old right-hander outdueled Gausman for the second occasion in a seven days, giving up a single run on five hits over six frames with six strikeouts. He boosted his record to 4–1 this playoffs with a 1.56 ERA.

The lone score against him resulted from George Springer two-out base hit in the third, scoring Addison Barger, who had doubled earlier in the inning. That single provided a brief spark in his comeback to the starting nine after sitting out a pair of contests with an side strain.

Bullpen Heroics

From there, the Los Angeles relievers carried the load. Rookie Wrobleski got out of a tight spot in the seventh, and another rookie Sasaki worked into the ninth inning before hitting Kirk to open the inning. Addison Barger then hit a two-base hit that became wedged under the left-center-field fence, forcing runners to stay at second and third base.

Glasnow, Los Angeles’ third game starter, came on in a relief role and induced a pop fly before Giménez lined to left field. Hernández made the catch and threw to second base to double off the runner, clinching the victory and giving the pitcher his first-ever 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 only living pitcher to start multiple World Series Game 7s after doing so in 2019 with the Nationals. The 40-year-old signed a one-year deal to chase one more title and has been a outspoken presence throughout this postseason.

The Dodgers, looking to be the sport's first back-to-back title winners in almost 25 years, are expected to lean on their two-way star for a short outing.