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

The defending champions ended Toronto’s ninth-inning rally with a thrilling final double play, stunning a home audience that had come ready to celebrate the team's championship in 32 years.

Sixth Game Summary

Los Angeles generated all of their offense in the third inning. With two outs, Ohtani was purposely passed before Will Smith doubled to left field to bring home Tommy Edman. Freeman earned a base on balls to fill the bases, and Betts came through with a two-run single to the opposite field, giving the Dodgers a three-run advantage.

That key hit broke a postseason slump and rekindled the title holders' aspirations of becoming the initial back-to-back World Series winners since the Yankees captured three straight from 1998 to 2000.

Mound Duel

Kevin Gausman had been nearly unhittable to that stage, fanning half a dozen of the initial seven batters he confronted. He struck out eight through three innings, tying a World Series record, but the third-inning barrage proved decisive. The Toronto ace finished with 8 Ks over six innings, allowing three runs on three hits and two free passes.

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 a single run on five hits over six frames with six Ks. He improved to four wins and one loss this playoffs with a 1.56 ERA.

The lone score against him resulted from Springer’s two-out single in the third inning, driving in Barger, who had doubled earlier in the inning. That single provided a momentary lift in his return to the starting nine after sitting out two games with an side strain.

Relief Effort

After that, the Dodgers’ bullpen carried the load. Rookie Wrobleski got out of a jam in the seventh, and fellow rookie Rōki Sasaki pitched into the ninth inning before hitting Alejandro Kirk to start the frame. Barger followed with a two-base hit that got stuck under the outfield wall, forcing runners to hold at second and third.

Glasnow, the Dodgers' third game starter, came on in relief and got a popout before Andrés Giménez hit a line drive to left. Hernández made the catch and threw to second base to double off Barger, clinching the win and earning the pitcher his first career save.

Looking Ahead: Seventh Game

The series now boils down to one game. Max Scherzer will start for the Blue Jays, making him the only living pitcher to pitch in more than one World Series Game 7s after doing so in the 2019 season with the Nationals. The 40-year-old inked a single-season contract to pursue another championship and has been a vocal leader throughout this postseason.

The Dodgers, looking to be the sport's first back-to-back champions in nearly a quarter-century, are projected to lean on their two-way star for a brief appearance.