The World Series between the Toronto Blue Jays and Los Angeles Dodgers is now headed to a winner-take-all Game 7 at Rogers Centre after a dramatic 3-1 Game 6 loss for the Blue Jays on Friday night. With the Blue Jays leading the series 3-2, Toronto came close to clinching its first title since 1993 but saw its hopes vanish in a tense ninth inning.
Blue Jays manager John Schneider offered a surprising take following the loss, remarking, “It’s Game 7 of the World Series at your home stadium. What the hell else could you want?” (h/t Keegan Matheson of MLB.com)
Schneider’s comment came as his team watched a potential Joe Carter-style walk-off celebration evaporate.
The game’s only scoring came in the third inning, where Los Angeles starter Yoshinobu Yamamoto allowed just one earned run over six innings while striking out six Toronto hitters. Kevin Gausman, Toronto’s starter, struck out eight over six innings but surrendered three runs in a decisive rally.
With two outs and a runner on first, the Blue Jays intentionally walked Ohtani, setting the stage for Will Smith to rip a two-run double. Mookie Betts, moved down in the order to cleanup after struggling at the plate earlier in the series, followed with a line drive to left, extending the lead to 3-0.
In the bottom of the third, Addison Barger doubled with two outs, and George Springer, playing through right-side discomfort from Game 3, drove Barger home with a single. Springer’s return to the leadoff spot as designated hitter resulted in two hits, though Toronto could not generate further offense against Yamamoto. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Bo Bichette both reached base in the sixth inning, but Toronto was unable to break through the Dodgers' bullpen
The ninth inning presented the Blue Jays’ final chance to clinch the series. Runners were in scoring position with no outs after Barger’s ground-rule double, but rookie Tyler Glasnow, pulled from the bullpen, retired Ernie Clement on a pop-up and induced a fly ball from Andres Gimenez. Kike Hernandez, alertly covering second base, completed a double play to end the game.
In Game 7 on Saturday night, Max Scherzer will start for Toronto while Los Angeles will likely counter with Ohtani. Both teams are likely to deploy multiple starting pitchers.
