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This year's World Series is headed to a decisive seventh game following the Dodgers kept their repeat hopes alive on Friday with a three to one victory over the Blue Jays in Game 6.

The defending champions halted Toronto’s ninth-inning rally with a dramatic game-ending double play, stunning a Rogers Centre audience that had arrived prepared to celebrate the team's championship in 32 years.

Game 6 Summary

The Dodgers produced all of their offense in the third inning. With two away, Shohei Ohtani was purposely passed before Will Smith hit a two-bagger to left field to bring home Tommy Edman. Freeman drew a walk to load the bases, and Betts delivered with a two-RBI hit to the opposite field, giving the Dodgers a three-run advantage.

Betts’ hit snapped a playoff dry spell and rekindled the title holders' aspirations of becoming the first repeat championship victors since the New York Yankees won three consecutive from 1998 through 2000.

Mound Duel

Gausman had been nearly unhittable to that stage, striking out half a dozen of the first seven batters he faced. He struck out 8 through three innings, tying a World Series mark, but the third-frame rally proved decisive. The Toronto ace finished with eight strikeouts over six frames, allowing three earned runs on three safeties and two walks.

Yamamoto, in contrast, was solid again under pressure. The 27-year-old right-hander outdueled Gausman for the second time in a seven days, giving up a single run on five base hits over six innings with six strikeouts. He improved to four wins and one loss this playoffs with a 1.56 ERA.

The only run against him resulted from Springer’s two-out single in the third inning, driving in Barger, who had hit a double previously in the frame. Springer’s hit offered a momentary lift in his comeback to the lineup after sitting out two games with an side strain.

Relief Heroics

After that, the Los Angeles relievers carried the load. Rookie Wrobleski got out of a tight spot in the seventh, and fellow rookie Sasaki pitched into the ninth before plunking Alejandro Kirk to open the frame. Barger followed with a double that became wedged under the left-center-field fence, obliging runners to hold at second and third.

Glasnow, the Dodgers' Game 3 starter, entered in a relief role and induced a pop fly before Andrés Giménez hit a line drive to left field. Hernández caught the ball and threw to second base to retire the runner, sealing the victory and earning Glasnow his first career successful save.

Looking Ahead: Game 7

The best-of-seven now boils down to one game. Scherzer will take the mound for Toronto, becoming the only living pitcher to pitch in multiple seventh games of the World Series after doing so in 2019 with the Nationals. The 40-year-old inked a single-season contract to chase one more title and has been a vocal leader throughout this postseason.

The Dodgers, looking to be the sport's initial repeat champions in almost 25 years, are expected to rely on their two-way star for a brief appearance.