For the first time since 2019, there will be a Game 7 of the World Series. The Los Angeles Dodgers survived Game 6 and forced the decisive Game 7 with a 3-1 win over the Toronto Blue Jays on Friday night (box score). Mookie Betts provided the long-awaited Big Hit and Yoshinobu Yamamoto was terrific again. The bullpen made things interesting, especially in a wild ninth inning, but the Dodgers survived.
L.A.’s three-run third inning was their first three-run inning of the World Series. The offense has struggled badly, especially in Games 4 and 5, and it didn’t exactly break out in Game 6. It did just enough to win and extend the season. The Blue Jays played a Game 7 just last round against the Seattle Mariners. The Dodgers last played a Game 7 in the 2020 NLCS against the Atlanta Braves.
Here now are four takeaways from L.A.’s Game 6 win, and a look ahead to Game 7.
1. Mookie finally came through
It has been tough sledding for Mookie Betts in the World Series and really the entire postseason. He was 3 for 23 (.130) in the series entering Game 6, and he came up empty many times after the Blue Jays pitched around Shohei Ohtani. Betts finally came through with a two-out, two-strike, two-run single in the third inning of Game 6. This gave the Dodgers a 3-0 lead:
Kevin Gausman was getting whiff after whiff after whiff on his splitter early in Game 6 — he had 11 swings and misses on his splitter in the first two innings alone — then Betts beat him on a fastball. That’s the kind of thing that will haunt a pitcher. Why go away from your best pitch with the bases loaded and two outs? Mookie didn’t let him get away with that questionable pitch selection.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts moved Betts down from the No. 2 spot in the lineup to the No. 3 spot in Game 5, and then from the No. 3 spot to the No. 4 spot in Game 6. He said he wanted to put Betts in position to shut off his brain and just focus on driving in runs, and that’s pretty much exactly what happened there. Those were Mookie’s first two runs batted in of the World Series.
The Dodgers took a 1-0 lead earlier in that inning when Will Smith doubled to left field. Tommy Edman doubled earlier in the inning, and Ohtani was walked intentionally. Gausman retired the first seven batters he faced, then five of the next six reached base, then he retired the final 10 batters he faced. He had five 1-2-3 innings and one three-run inning.
2. Yamamoto was great again
It wasn’t another complete game, but Yoshinobu Yamamoto was again terrific with L.A.’s season on the line. He struck out six and held the Blue Jays to one run in six innings. His biggest out was his final out: Yamamoto struck out Daulton Varsho with two runners on base to end the sixth inning. Here is his sixth and final strikeout:
Yamamoto threw 96 pitches in Game 6 after throwing 111 and 105 pitches in his two complete games, but remember, he warmed up and was next out of the bullpen in the 18-inning Game 3 marathon. He might’ve hit a wall sooner than usual. It’s also possible the Dodgers were saving some bullets in case Yamamoto needs to pitch in Game 7. Could he close? Hmmm.
For now, Yamamoto has a 1.56 ERA in 34 ⅔ innings spanning five starts this postseason, including a 1.13 ERA in his last three starts. With all due respect to Trey Yesavage and a few others, Yamamoto has been the best pitcher in the game this postseason. He gave the Dodgers exactly what they needed in Game 6, even if it wasn’t another complete game.
3. Springer gutted it out
If this were the regular season, there’s no chance George Springer would’ve been in the lineup Friday night. He pulled a muscle in his side taking a swing in Game 3, and he was out of the lineup in Games 4 and 5. Springer returned to the lineup in Game 6 but he clearly isn’t 100%. He winced every time he took a swing or checked his swing.
Despite that, Springer delivered Toronto’s only run, driving a single to center to get the Blue Jays to within 3-1 in the bottom of the third. You can see the pain on his face after he reaches first base:
At 109.8 mph, that is Springer’s second-hardest hit ball of the postseason. The man is dangerous with a bat in his hands even when he’s not at full health. There wasn’t much chance Springer would miss the potential World Series clincher. The only question was how much he would be able to contribute? With two hits in Game 6, the answer appears to be still quite a bit.
4. The Blue Jays had a chance in the ninth
Specifically, they had runners on second and third with no outs down 3-1. Rather than drive those runners in like they’ve been doing seemingly all postseason, Ernie Clement popped up for the first out, then Addison Barger ran into a game-ending double play. Enrique Hernández caught Andrés Giménez’s line drive and then doubled Barger off second base. Here’s the play:
Given the stakes, that’s about as bad a baserunning mistake as you’ll ever see. Barger got a little too excited and was worried more about scoring the run than making the sure the ball got down, and got caught wandering too far off the bag. It’s inexcusable. Barger knows that and no one feels worse right now, but the bottom line is the Blue Jays lost, and there will be a Game 7.
It’s important to note Tyler Glasnow, who was lined up to start Game 7, came out of the bullpen to get those final three outs. He only threw three pitches, so I’m sure he’ll still be available in Game 7, but how long can he go? Ohtani could pitch at some point and it makes sense to start him, otherwise you lose his bat once he’s out of the game as a reliever. That’s a question for Saturday.
5. Up next
They say it’s the two best words in sports: Game 7. I prefer “Opening Day,” but “Game 7” is pretty good too. Future Hall of Famer Max Scherzer is lined up to start for the Blue Jays. I would bet a shiny nickel Ohtani will start for the Dodgers, though they have not yet made anything official. Either way, Game 7 will be an all hands on deck game for both teams.
