Los Angeles Dodgers they are still alive. Thanks to a brilliant performance by the Japanese Yoshinobu Yamamotothe Los Angeles team won 3-1 against the Toronto Blue Jays this Friday, matching the World Series 2025 and forcing an exciting Game 7 to be played this Saturday at the Rogers Centre.
Yamamoto was dominant on the mound, allowing only one run, five hits and one walk in six innings, in which he completely contained the Canadian offense.
The Dodgers scored their three runs in the third inning against starter Kevin Gausman, with Mookie Betts starring by hitting a two-run single that was key to the victory.
Toronto, however, did not give up easily. In the ninth inning, with the score 3-1, Alejandro Kirk was hit by a pitch from reliever Roki Sasaki, and then Addison Barger hit a powerful drive into the gap in left field. The ball got stuck at the bottom of the wall, forcing pinch-runner Myles Straw to stop at third base and thwarting the comeback.
Manager Dave Roberts then turned to Tyler Glasnow, who had started Game 3. The right-hander got the last three outs and, with the help of a spectacular 7-4 double play started by Kiké Hernández, secured the Los Angeles victory. According to Sarah Langs (MLB.com), it was the first such double play to close a postseason game in history.
“Somehow I heard the bat break, even with the noise of the stadium,” Hernandez told Fox Sports. “The crazy thing is that I had no idea where the ball was, I was lost in the lights.”
For his part, Barger acknowledged his mistake on the bases:
“I was too aggressive. It was a bad read.”
Although Gausman pitched six solid innings with eight strikeouts, he took the loss. George Springer drove in Toronto’s only run in his return to the lineup, finishing the night with two hits in four at-bats.
Game 7 promises to be a real battle. Max Scherzer will be the starter for the Blue Jays, while the Dodgers have not yet announced their pitcher.
“It’s Game 7 of the World Series in your stadium,” manager John Schneider said. “What more could you ask for?”
