Dodgers Break Through Early to Stay Alive in Toronto

The Los Angeles Dodgers entered Game 6 in Toronto knowing there was no room for error. Down 3–2 in the World Series, the defending champions needed back-to-back road wins at Rogers Centre to stay alive and preserve their title defense. Their margin for error had vanished after dropping both Games 4 and 5 at home, and the pressure was mounting for a team built to thrive under the brightest lights.

Offensive struggles had plagued Los Angeles throughout the series, particularly with runners on base. The lineup, stacked with stars like Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts, and Freddie Freeman, had been uncharacteristically quiet. Heading into Friday’s elimination game, the Dodgers had yet to deliver the kind of multi-run inning that had defined their dominance during the regular season.

Through two innings, it appeared Game 6 might follow the same pattern. Blue Jays starter Kevin Gausman looked sharp early, setting down the first six batters he faced and keeping the Dodger bats off balance. The tension in the visiting dugout was palpable — until one swing shifted the tone.

In the top of the third inning, catcher Will Smith delivered the breakthrough Los Angeles had been waiting for. With runners on first and second, he lined a Kevin Gausman sinker into the left-field corner for a double, driving in Tommy Edman and moving Ohtani to third. The hit snapped the Dodgers’ scoring drought and injected much-needed life into their dugout.

1. Betts Delivers in Crucial Moment

Two batters later, Mookie Betts — who had been mired in a deep slump all series — stepped to the plate. The star shortstop had expressed frustration with his timing and mechanics earlier in the week, but he finally found his rhythm when it mattered most. Betts turned on a fastball from Gausman and lined it into left-center field, driving in Ohtani and Smith to extend the Dodgers’ lead to 3–0. It was the kind of inning Los Angeles had been searching for all postseason. The Dodgers had scored in small bursts before, but never in bunches. Their three-run frame in the third marked the first time in the entire World Series that the team had put up more than two runs in an inning. The relief was visible — shoulders relaxed, dugout chatter returned, and the mood lifted across the bench. Betts’ hit not only gave Los Angeles breathing room but also symbolized a possible turning point for the team’s offense. The Dodgers, known for their patience and power, had finally executed when opportunity knocked. For Betts, the moment was a personal reprieve after several games of near-misses and frustration. As the inning ended, the Dodgers carried new momentum — and with ace Yoshinobu Yamamoto on the mound, confidence that their early cushion could hold. The tone of the game, and perhaps the series, had shifted.

2. Yamamoto Steadies the Dodgers

Yoshinobu Yamamoto took the mound with a three-run lead — a luxury few Dodgers starters had enjoyed in this series. The Japanese right-hander, who had already made postseason history with consecutive complete games, once again showed composure under pressure. Though the Blue Jays managed to scratch out a run in the bottom of the third, Yamamoto quickly settled back into his rhythm. The Blue Jays’ lone early run came after a pair of singles, but Yamamoto escaped further damage by inducing a key double play — one of two he recorded through the first four innings. His efficiency allowed Los Angeles to maintain control and keep the pace of the game in their favor. While Yamamoto’s velocity dipped slightly compared to earlier starts, his command remained sharp. He mixed pitches effectively, leaning on his fastball-splitter combination to keep Toronto hitters off balance. Each inning he completed without incident brought the Dodgers closer to their goal of forcing a Game 7. Behind Yamamoto’s steady presence and the sudden awakening of their offense, the Dodgers began to look more like the team that had dominated much of the 2025 season. The tension that had gripped the club seemed to lift as confidence returned to both the lineup and the pitching staff.

3. A Series Pushed to the Brink

The Dodgers’ ability to deliver in high-pressure moments has defined their championship pedigree in recent years. Game 6 was another test of that resilience — a mix of strategic pitching, timely hitting, and faith in their veteran core. The early surge provided not just a lead, but a renewed sense of belief heading into the later innings. Toronto, meanwhile, continued to show why it had reached this stage. Even when trailing, the Blue Jays’ lineup remained dangerous, forcing Yamamoto and the Dodgers’ defense to stay sharp. The final innings would determine whether Los Angeles’ revival was sustainable or fleeting. If the Dodgers’ bullpen could protect the advantage, they would force a decisive Game 7 — the kind of high-stakes finale that defines baseball in October. For Los Angeles, the mission was simple but daunting: win again, or watch the title slip away. The defending champions had rediscovered their swing and their swagger just in time. Now, they needed one more complete performance to finish the job.