Here’s what we covered tonight
• More baseball: The Dodgers defeated the Blue Jays 3-1 to even the World Series and set up a winner-take-all Game 7 Saturday night in Toronto.
• What a finish: The Blue Jays will rue their chances in the ninth inning, when they had two men on base with no outs. Dodgers brought in Tyler Glasnow, who induced a popout to second base and then a remarkable double-play by Kiké Hernández, who caught an Andrés Giménez soft liner and then doubled up Addison Barger on second base.
• LA hero: It was Mookie Betts, who broke out of a playoff slump with a single in the third inning to drive in two runs that held thanks to a solid six-inning outing from starting pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto and a bullpen that held its nerve.
Dodgers hold off a late rally from the Blue Jays to win 3-1, forcing a deciding World Series Game 7
There is no pitcher the Blue Jays want to see less than the Los Angeles Dodgers’ Yoshinobu Yamamoto after the 27-year-old defeated Toronto for a second time in this World Series with a 3-1 Game 6 win on Friday.
He did not get his third consecutive complete game but Yamamoto still threw six innings, allowing five hits, one run and striking out six batters.
Dodgers starter Yoshinobu Yamamoto won his second game of this World Series.John E. Sokolowski/Imagn Images/Reuters
The Dodgers scored all three of their runs in the third inning off Blue Jays starter Kevin Gausman.
Catcher Will Smith got the scoring started with a RBI double and Mookie Betts added a two-run single to give Los Angeles a 3-0 lead.
Dodgers shortstop Mookie Betts drives home two runs on a single in the third inning.Gregory Shamus/Getty Images
It didn’t take long for the Jays to respond, with a banged-up George Springer driving in the team’s lone run.
The real drama came at the bottom of the ninth inning after Dodgers’ closer Roki Sasaki struggled, allowing two men on base with no outs.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts turned to starting pitcher Tyler Glasnow, who induced a popout to second base and then a remarkable double-play by Kiké Hernández, who caught an Andrés Giménez soft liner and then doubled up Addison Barger on second base.
After a stunning turn of events, the Dodgers have forced a win-or-go-home Game 7 on Saturday night at the Rogers Centre in Toronto.
Now the question remains, will we see Shohei Ohtani show off his two-way capabilities at some point Saturday night?
Blue Jays manager has all the confidence in his team and “Mad Max”
Following the Game 6 defeat, Blue Jays manager John Schneider appeared calm and collected while facing reporters questions.
He was asked about his Game 7 starter, Max Scherzer, a pitcher with World Series experience, having won two titles.
“It’s the two best words in sports: Game 7,” Schneider said with a smile.
“No better guy to have on the mound to kind of navigate the emotions, the stuff. Max has been getting ready for Game 7 when he knew he was pitching Game 3.
“So all the confidence in the world in him and everyone tomorrow.”
Dodgers manager on bringing in Glasnow in the ninth inning: “I just wanted to bet on him”
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts didn’t mince words on his late-inning pitching choices and how it might affect his Game 7 plans.
“This is do-or-die. You got to leave it all out there and pick up the pieces so I just felt right there,” Roberts told the Fox TV broadcast.
“Roki (Sasaki) wasn’t as sharp and I felt right there, (Tyler) Glasnow has swing-and-miss stuff. I just wanted to bet on him. He’s been chomping at the bit to make an impact. … We live for Game 7’s here. Here we go.”
As for if we might see Shohei Ohtani pitch on Saturday, Roberts stressed he would assess the situation ahead of the game.
“That’s a good question,” Roberts said. “I think right now there’s no wrong answer. He’s certainly going to a part of the pitching plan. With Shohei, it could be two innings or it could be four innings. I’m not sure where we are going to slide him. We are going to talk to him first and where he feels most comfortable.”
Game 6 hero Mookie Betts credits his wife with helping his mindset amid World Series struggles
Dodgers’ shortstop Mookie Betts collected two big RBIs in Game 6 when his team needed them the most.
His two-run single in the third inning was just his fourth hit of the World Series and the first runs driven in by the eight-time All-Star in the series.
Betts’ prolonged slump prompted Dodgers manager Dave Roberts to move him lower in the lineup in an effort to help his shortstop bust out of his slump.
After the game, Betts told the FOX broadcast that encouragement and advice from his wife helped him stay ready for his big moment.
“I know it hasn’t been great for me. But this year hasn’t really been great,” Betts said. “I just want to be there to help the boys, and I came up in a big spot, and my wife tells me all the time, ‘Just stay in the moment. Just be ready for this next moment.’
“She always tell me ‘You have to mentally be ready for it. I know a lot goes on, a lot goes on, but if you keep worrying about that, you won’t be prepared for right now,’” Betts continued.
“I was able to find a way to lock in, and I gotta be ready for tomorrow now.”
WHAT A FINISH! Cue up Game 7!
With closer Roki Sasaki struggling against the potent Blue Jays lineup, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts had no choice but to turn to would-be Game 7 starter Tyler Glasnow a day early.
Glasnow got dropped right into the pressure cooker with runners on second and third base with nobody out and Ernie Clement up to bat.
On his very first pitch, Glasnow induced a harmless popout to second base to record the first out of the inning.
Next up, Andrés Giménez hit a soft liner to left field. A charging Kiké Hernández caught the ball and doubled up Addison Barger, who had strayed too far from second base, to end the game in the blink of an eye.
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