Yamamoto dominated, clutch defense locked down, and timely hitting forced a winner-take-all Game 7. Dodgers refuse to quit.
Facing elimination once again, the Dodgers responded with composure and precision, defeating the Blue Jays 3–1 in Game 6 of the World Series to force a decisive Game 7 on Saturday night.
Manager Dave Roberts credited his team’s resilience and sharp execution down the stretch, particularly in the bottom of the ninth inning when the Dodgers held off a late Toronto rally.
“Wow,” Roberts said when asked about the final frame. “You get 0–2 to [Alejandro] Kirk and hit him with a split, then [Addison] Barger gets a good piece of a fastball. From that point, I just felt our guy wasn’t as sharp, and we needed some swing and miss. Glasnow was that guy.”
Tyler Glasnow came on to record the final three outs, sealing the win and setting up a winner-take-all Game 7. Roberts confirmed that while the Dodgers haven’t decided on a starter, “everyone will be available.”
That includes Shohei Ohtani, who could pitch on three days’ rest for the first time in his career. “We’re close to a decision,” Roberts said. “This is Game 7 — there are a lot of things people haven’t done before. You just have to trust your players and try to win a baseball game.”
Defensively, the Dodgers showed the awareness and poise that have carried them throughout this postseason. Justin Dean, who entered as a late-inning defensive replacement, made a heads-up play to prevent extra bases when a ball became lodged in the left-center wall.
“It was great awareness,” Roberts said. “He recognized it immediately, and the umpire blew it dead. It worked out perfectly.”
Offensively, lineup adjustments paid off. Miguel Rojas provided energy and key defensive plays at second base, while Mookie Betts, who moved to the cleanup spot, delivered a pivotal hit.
“I liked the way we looked,” Roberts said. “Miggy played the heck out of second base. And Mookie, we talked about letting the game come to him a bit. He got a huge hit for us. I’m going to ride or die with him.”
Ace Yoshinobu Yamamoto gave the Dodgers six strong innings, holding Toronto to one run before turning it over to the bullpen.
“I thought Yamamoto was very good,” Roberts said. “After that sixth inning, I just wanted to give [Justin] Wrobleski a clean frame. Yamamoto did his job for the night.”
With the series now tied 3–3, Los Angeles will hand the ball to a still-unknown starter in Saturday’s Game 7, but Roberts made one thing clear: the Dodgers’ confidence hasn’t wavered.
“I feel great,” he said. “We’re going to leave it all out there.”