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The World Series is headed to a final seventh game after the Los Angeles Dodgers kept alive their title defense dreams alive Friday night with a three to one victory over the Toronto Blue Jays in Game 6.

The reigning title holders ended Toronto’s late-game comeback with a thrilling final double play, silencing a home crowd that had come ready to cheer the team's first title in over three decades.

Game 6 Summary

Los Angeles produced all of their scoring in the third frame. With two away, Ohtani was intentionally walked before Smith doubled to left to score Edman. Freddie Freeman drew a walk to load the bases, and Mookie Betts came through with a two-run single to left, giving the Dodgers a three-run advantage.

Betts’ hit broke a postseason slump and rekindled the title holders' aspirations of being the first repeat championship winners since the New York Yankees captured three consecutive from 1998 to 2000.

Mound Duel

Kevin Gausman had been dominant to that point, striking out half a dozen of the initial 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 eight strikeouts over six frames, allowing three earned runs on three hits and two walks.

Yamamoto, in contrast, was solid again under stress. The 27-year-old right-hander outpitched Gausman for the second occasion in a seven days, allowing a single 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 came on Springer’s two-out base hit in the third, driving in Addison Barger, who had hit a double previously in the frame. Springer’s hit offered a momentary lift in his return to the starting nine after missing two games with an oblique injury.

Bullpen Heroics

From there, the Dodgers’ bullpen carried the load. Rookie Wrobleski escaped a jam in the seventh inning, and fellow rookie Sasaki worked into the ninth inning before plunking Alejandro Kirk to start the frame. Barger followed with a two-base hit that got stuck under the left-center-field fence, forcing base runners to hold at second and third base.

Tyler Glasnow, Los Angeles’ Game 3 starter, entered in relief and induced a popout before Giménez lined to left. Enrique Hernández made the catch and fired to second to double off the runner, sealing the victory and earning the pitcher his first-ever successful save.

Looking Ahead: Game 7

The series now comes down to one game. Max Scherzer will start for Toronto, becoming the sole active hurler to start more than one World Series Game 7s after accomplishing that in 2019 with the Nationals. The veteran inked a one-year deal to pursue another championship and has been a vocal leader throughout this playoff run.

The Los Angeles squad, aiming to become the sport's initial repeat champions in nearly a quarter-century, are expected to rely on their two-way star for a short outing.