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The World Series is headed to a final Game 7 after the Dodgers kept their title defense hopes alive Friday night with a 3–1 win over the Blue Jays in Game 6.

The defending champions ended Toronto’s ninth-inning rally with a thrilling final twin killing, silencing a Rogers Centre audience that had come ready to celebrate the team's first title in 32 years.

Game 6 Summary

Los Angeles generated all of their scoring in the third frame. With two outs, Ohtani was purposely passed before Will Smith hit a two-bagger to left to bring home Tommy Edman. Freeman earned a base on balls to load the bases, and Betts delivered with a two-run single to left, handing the Dodgers a 3–0 advantage.

That key hit snapped a playoff dry spell and revived the defending champions’ hopes of being the first repeat World Series victors since the New York Yankees captured three straight from 1998 to 2000.

Mound Duel

Gausman had been nearly unhittable to that point, striking out half a dozen of the initial seven Dodgers he confronted. He struck out 8 through three frames, tying a World Series mark, but the third-inning barrage proved decisive. The Toronto ace finished with 8 Ks over six innings, yielding three runs on three safeties and two walks.

Yamamoto, in contrast, was solid again under stress. The 27-year-old right-hander outdueled his counterpart for the second time in a week, allowing one run on five base hits over six innings with six strikeouts. 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 base hit in the third, scoring Barger, who had doubled previously in the frame. That single offered a momentary lift in his return to the starting nine after missing two games with an oblique injury.

Relief Heroics

From there, the Los Angeles relievers took over. Rookie Justin Wrobleski got out of a tight spot in the seventh inning, and fellow rookie Sasaki worked into the ninth before plunking Kirk to open the inning. Barger then hit a double that got stuck under the left-center-field fence, forcing base runners to stay at second and third base.

Tyler Glasnow, Los Angeles’ third game starter, entered in relief and got a pop fly before Andrés Giménez lined to left. Hernández made the catch and fired to second to retire Barger, sealing the victory and earning Glasnow his first-ever save.

Next Up: Seventh Game

The best-of-seven now boils down to one game. Scherzer will take the mound for the Blue Jays, making him the sole active hurler to start multiple World Series Game 7s after accomplishing that in 2019 with the Nationals. The veteran inked a single-season contract to chase one more title and has been a outspoken presence throughout this playoff run.

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