Dodgers Survive Blue Jays’ Late Push to Force Game 7

The Toronto Blue Jays were three outs away from their first championship since 1993. Down 3–1 in the ninth inning of Game 6, the home crowd at Rogers Centre braced for a dramatic finish as Toronto’s red-hot bottom of the lineup stepped to the plate. The Dodgers, clinging to their season, turned to closer Roki Sasaki — their young fireballer tasked with shutting the door.

Leading off was catcher Alejandro Kirk, who had been a steady bat throughout the postseason. But on Sasaki’s very first pitch, tension filled the stadium as the ball ran too far inside, striking Kirk’s hand. He grimaced in pain and clutched his right wrist as trainers rushed out. Though he stayed upright, his frustration was unmistakable — and his exit moments later signaled potential trouble for Toronto beyond this one game.

The hit-by-pitch offered the Blue Jays a rare opening against one of baseball’s toughest closers. Myles Straw came in to run for Kirk, putting the tying run on base with no outs. The momentum briefly swung Toronto’s way — but in a matter of minutes, fortune flipped once again.

What followed was a series of near-misses and bad breaks that ended Toronto’s night — and reignited the Dodgers’ hopes.

1. A Game of Inches and Unforgiving Breaks

With Straw on first, postseason breakout star Addison Barger stepped in, continuing his torrid run at the plate. On a 2-1 count, Barger drove a deep fly ball into the gap between left and center field — a swing that had the crowd on its feet. The ball had the distance to score at least one run, but disaster struck: it rolled under the outfield fence and lodged beneath the padding. The umpire immediately signaled a ground-rule double, sending Straw back to third base instead of home. What could have been a 3–2 game with the tying run in scoring position became a missed chance — the kind of cruel bounce that defines October baseball. Still, the Blue Jays had runners on second and third with no outs — the perfect setup for a comeback. Up next was Ernie Clement, whose approach all postseason had been to make contact and keep rallies alive. But Clement popped up on a high fastball for the first out, squandering the opportunity to move the runners. That brought up Andres Gimenez, whose line-drive swing has carried the Blue Jays at key moments. This time, however, his sharp liner found a glove — and turned into disaster. Dodgers outfielder Teoscar Hernández made a quick throw to second base, doubling up Barger, who had broken for home too early. The inning — and Toronto’s hopes — ended in stunned silence.

2. Dodgers Seize Momentum, Jays Face New Uncertainty

The Dodgers’ dugout erupted as Sasaki pumped his fist and roared. What had looked like a potential Toronto coronation instead became a Los Angeles lifeline. The Dodgers’ 3–1 win not only extended the series but flipped the emotional tide entirely heading into a decisive Game 7. For the Blue Jays, the collapse was as painful as it was sudden. The sequence of misfortune — an HBP injury, an unlucky bounce, and a costly baserunning mistake — highlighted how slim the margins can be in championship baseball. “That’s postseason baseball,” one Blue Jays player reportedly said afterward. “It’s one or two plays that make the difference.” Adding to the concern, Toronto may have to face Game 7 without Kirk, whose availability remains uncertain after the hand injury. Early reports suggest swelling and bruising but no immediate diagnosis. His absence would be a blow to a lineup already stretched thin by injuries to key hitters throughout October. Still, the Blue Jays remain one win away from their ultimate goal. Despite the heartbreak of Game 6, they’ll send ace Kevin Gausman to the mound with everything on the line — a chance to rewrite the ending after a night of what-ifs.

3. Lessons from a Lost Opportunity

For Toronto, Game 6 was a reminder of baseball’s cruel symmetry — moments of opportunity countered by inches of misfortune. The team had done nearly everything right: patient at-bats, smart substitutions, and timely pitching. Yet the game turned on physics and split-second decisions. The Blue Jays’ clubhouse afterward was quiet but far from defeated. Manager John Schneider emphasized the team’s resilience, pointing to their ability to bounce back throughout the postseason. “We’ve faced adversity before,” he said. “This group doesn’t stay down for long.” Meanwhile, the Dodgers, who have been tested repeatedly in this series, left the field with renewed confidence. Having stolen Game 6 on the road, they’ll now enter Game 7 with momentum — and perhaps a psychological edge — in a series that has seen every twist imaginable. For both clubs, it now comes down to one game, one night, one chance at baseball immortality.