Yoshinobu Yamamoto secures the win in a do-or-die effort as the Dodgers defeat the Blue Jays; the World Series heads to a decisive Game 7.

On November 1st, Beijing time, Game 6 of the MLB World Series was held at the Toronto Blue Jays’ Rogers Centre. The Blue Jays, one victory shy of their first title in 32 years, started Kevin Gausman, whereas the Dodgers, fighting for survival, put their trust in Japanese pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto. Both starters performed excellently, but Yamamoto had the edge, leading the Dodgers to a 3-1 win, tying the series 3-3 and forcing a winner-takes-all Game 7.

Gausman dominated early, striking out Shohei Ohtani with numerous split-finger fastballs, then mixing in sliders to strike out Will Smith. Against Freddie Freeman, he set the tone with fastballs and ultimately struck him out with a splitter. Gausman struck out three batters in the top of the first, starting perfectly.

In the bottom half, Yamamoto retired George Springer with seven pitches. Nathan Lukes appeared to make contact, but Max Muncy failed to field it, resulting in a hit. However, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. grounded into a 5-4-3 double play initiated by Muncy, allowing the Blue Jays to end the inning quickly in an unconventional way.

Mookie Betts grounded out as the cleanup hitter, Teoscar Hernández swung and missed at a splitter, and Muncy was also powerless against the splitter. Gausman retired all three batters in the second inning consecutively.

In the Blue Jays’ second inning, Bo Bichette was tempted by a slider and failed to hold back. Daulton Varsho and Alejandro Kirk both hit harmless fly balls, and Yamamoto remained steady through the inning.

In the top of the third, Tommy Edman hit a double after one out, and Kirk’s smart catch helped Gausman strike out Miguel Rojas. The Blue Jays intentionally walked Shohei Ohtani, but Will Smith delivered a hard ground ball, giving the Dodgers the first run.

Yamamoto then pitched well against Freddie Freeman, and after scoring, the Dodgers had a bases-loaded opportunity, prompting the Blue Jays to call a timeout. Mookie Betts, who had struggled at the plate in the series, finally delivered a two-RBI hit between the shortstop and third baseman. Hernández was struck out afterward, but the Dodgers made a big impact in the top of the third, building a 3-0 lead.

The Blue Jays responded immediately in the bottom of the third. Addison Barger opened with a double to left field, and with no outs, they loaded the bases. Yamamoto struck out Ernie Clement, and although Andrés Giménez hit hard, Rojas stopped the ball. Springer seized a high pitch and hit a single, cutting the Dodgers’ lead to one. The Blue Jays earned one run from two hits in the third inning’s bottom half.

Gausman continued pitching in the fourth, quickly securing two outs with just three pitches. Facing Edman, who had hit a long ball previously, Gausman used a mix of high and low pitches effectively and retired the side on nine pitches.

In the bottom of the fourth, Yamamoto first retired Vladimir Guerrero Jr. Despite allowing a hit to Bichette, a ground ball from Varsho led to a 4-6-3 double play started by Rojas. Yamamoto exited safely with the Dodgers still holding a two-run lead.

Shohei Ohtani’s third at-bat was cautious from both sides. Gausman used nine pitches to record Ohtani’s second out of the fifth inning. Will Smith hit well but was caught by Lukes, ending the top of the fifth.

Yamamoto struck out Kirk on nine pitches, with a low fastball called a strike by umpire Adam Hamari. He then struck out Barger. Clement reached base with an infield hit, but Giménez’s fly ball was harmless. After five innings, the Dodgers led 3-1.

Gausman remained on the mound in the top of the sixth, putting pressure on Freeman and Betts’ swings. Hernández finally avoided a strikeout but was retired on a ground ball. Gausman had retired 10 consecutive batters.

After Springer was out in the bottom of the sixth, a minor disturbance occurred, causing security to intervene and slightly disrupting Yamamoto’s rhythm. Though he retired Lukes, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. hit a hard long ball off an outside curveball. Bichette earned Yamamoto’s first walk of the game, but Yamamoto quickly regained composure, striking out Varsho and finishing his outing safely.

Gausman completed six innings, striking out eight, allowing three hits and three earned runs before leaving with his team trailing. Louis Varland took over in the seventh, retiring the side in order.

Yamamoto also pitched six innings, striking out six, giving up five hits and one earned run before exiting with the Dodgers ahead 3-1. Justin Wrobleski relieved him, retiring two batters in a row but then allowed Clement a deep hit into scoring position. However, Wrobleski struck out Giménez with a fastball, keeping the Dodgers’ two-run lead intact.

After retiring Rojas, Varland finished his outing, and the Blue Jays brought in Mason Fluharty to face Ohtani. The lefty-lefty matchup failed as Ohtani, despite a somewhat awkward swing, tracked the ball well and hit a long ball. Smith did not bat, and Fluharty retired Freeman and held the runners, prompting another pitching change for the Blue Jays.

Seranthony Domínguez faced Betts, using fastballs and sliders but ultimately walked him. Hernández struck out with the bases loaded, and the Dodgers missed the chance to extend their lead, still up by two runs.

In the bottom of the eighth, the Dodgers brought in another Japanese pitcher, Roki Sasaki, while strengthening defense by replacing Hernández with Andy Pages in right field, substituting for Hernández who had no offensive impact that day.

Springer waited late on Sasaki’s splitter before hitting a line drive through the defense for a single. Lukes worked a full count but failed to connect on a high fastball, and Springer remained at first with one out. Facing Guerrero Jr., Sasaki relied mostly on splitters, with only one fastball which missed the strike zone, resulting in a walk. With one out and runners on first and second, the Dodgers called a timeout.

The Blue Jays’ prime opportunity fell to cleanup hitter Bichette, but he failed as Betts caught a foul ball for an out. Varsho remained cold, grounding out to second base. Sasaki narrowly held the bottom of the eighth, preserving the Dodgers’ 3-1 lead.

In the top of the ninth, the Blue Jays brought in Chris Bassitt, who had been adjusting during the postseason. He struck out two batters, and though Edman hit solidly, the defensive alignment was effective. Bassitt controlled the gap, with the Blue Jays trailing by two going into the bottom of the ninth.

Sasaki continued pitching and immediately hit Kirk with a pitch. Barger hit a very deep ball and tried to stretch it with a pinch runner. The Dodgers argued the play was delayed and the ball was trapped, but after review, the hit was upheld as a double. Sasaki left the game with no outs and runners on second and third.

Clement attacked Tyler Glasnow’s first pitch but failed to help his cause. Giménez hit to left field, and Enrique Hernández, the key player, caught it and threw to second to double off a runner. The Blue Jays challenged but the call stood, and Glasnow successfully closed the game!

The winner-take-all Game 7 of the 2025 World Series will continue at the Rogers Centre at 8 a.m. Beijing time on November 2nd. The home team Blue Jays announced veteran Max Scherzer as their starter, while the Dodgers have yet to reveal their Game 7 starter on the official website.

Interestingly, today is also October 31st, Halloween in the U.S., marking the eighth time in World Series history a game has been played on this date, continuing the streak that no team has ever clinched the championship on Halloween.