Dodgers hold off Blue Jays 3-1 to force World Series game seven / Photo: Emilee Chinn - GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA/AFP
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Dodgers hold off Blue Jays 3-1 to force World Series game seven
The Los Angeles Dodgers, fueled by a three-run third inning and another dominant pitching performance from Yoshinobu Yamamoto, beat the Toronto Blue Jays 3-1 on Friday to force a decisive World Series game seven.
The defending champion Dodgers had to dig deep to thwart the Blue Jays' ninth-inning rally bid and knot Major League Baseball's best-of-seven championship series at three games apiece.
They kept their bid for the first title repeat in 25 years alive while the Blue Jays will be aiming to claim their first title in 32 years when they host game seven on Saturday.
Dodgers pitcher Tyler Glasnow, scheduled to start game seven, stepped in with Blue Jays runners on second and third with no outs in the ninth.
He induced a fly out from Ernie Clement before Andres Gimenez hit into a game-ending double play.
"This is do or die," Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said of sending in Glasnow after closer Roki Sasaki got into trouble.
"You've got to leave it all out there and pick up the pieces. Right there I just felt Roki wasn't as sharp and I felt right there Glas was a guy who had swing and miss stuff and I just wanted to bet on him."
With their backs against the wall the Dodgers seized the lead in the third inning -- finally making the Blue Jays pay for intentionally walking Shohei Ohtani.
Blue Jays starting pitcher Kevin Gausman gave up a one-out double to Tommy Edman and with two outs walked Ohtani.
Will Smith smacked another double to score Edman and Mookie Betts delivered a hard-hit single to left field that plated another two runs.
It was sweet redemption for Betts, who was dropped to fourth in the order after hitting just .130 in the first five games of the series.
George Springer, back for the Blue Jays after missing two games with a muscle injury in his side, pulled back a run with a single in the bottom of the third that plated Addison Barger -- who led off the frame with a double.
The Blue Jays threatened with two outs in the sixth when Vladimir Guerrero Jr. belted a double to left field.
Yamamoto then walked Bo Bichette on seven pitches -- his first walk issued in 15-plus innings -- but the Japanese ace struck out Daulton Varsho to escape the danger.
That pushed Yamamoto's pitch count to 96, and Dodgers turned to their bullpen to preserve the lead, Yamamoto departing after giving up one run in six innings with six strikeouts and one walk.
Reliever Justin Wrobleski pitched a scoreless seventh and Sasaki squeaked through a tense bottom of the eighth, giving up a single to Springer and walking Guerrero.
But the Blue Jays couldn't find a way back.
M.Marini--GdR
