TORONTO — The Los Angeles Dodgers came back in the series. They came back in Game 7.
They came all the way back to become the first repeat winners of the World Series since the New York Yankees hit the trifecta in 1998-2000.
Will Smith hit a home run with two outs in the 11th to send the Dodgers to a 5-4 Game 7 victory over the Toronto Blue Jays on Saturday night. The Dodgers were down 3-2 in the best-of-seven series after a Game 5 loss on Wednesday.
Smith’s second homer of the postseason came on a shot to left on a 2-0 slider from Shane Bieber (2-1).
The Dodgers overcame a 4-2 deficit, tying the game at 4 on Miguel Rojas’ first homer of the postseason on a Jeff Hoffman 3-2 slider with one out in the ninth.
“There was so many pressure points and how that game could have flipped,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “And we just kept fighting, and guys stepped up big. So I could just go on and on about the big plays, the big performances. It’s one of the greatest games I’ve ever been a part of, and this whole series and what the Blue Jays did and they gave us everything they had and just such a first-class organization.”
In keeping with the rallying theme, Dodgers right-hander Yoshinobu Yamamoto (5-1), who pitched six innings to earn the win in Game 6 on Friday, came back Saturday to pitch the final 2 2/3 scoreless innings to win Game 7. He also pitched a complete game to win Game 2 and was named World Series MVP.
“It’s unheard of, and I think that there’s a mind component, there’s a delivery, which is a flawless delivery, and there’s just an unwavering will,” Roberts said. “I just haven’t seen it. I really haven’t. You know, all that combined. And there’s certain players that want moments and there’s certain players that want it for the right reasons, but Yoshi is a guy that I just completely implicitly trust and he’s made me a pretty dang good manager.”
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. led off the home 11th with a double against Yamamoto. Guerrero took third on Isiah Kiner-Falefa’s sacrifice. Addison Barger walked before Alejandro Kirk grounded into a season-ending double play.
“Man, it’s hard. I had my first team meeting of the year after the game,” Blue Jays manager John Schneider said. “There’s so many things that to unpack there, not just the series as a whole, seven games, two of them go to extras. I thought we played great baseball, both teams having chances there late. I feel for the guys. This is a special group of guys.”
Both teams had chances to win earlier. In the home ninth, Blake Snell allowed a one-out single and a walk before Yamamoto came in to load the bases with a hit batter before getting a force at home and a flyout to force extra innings.
The Dodgers loaded the bases with one out in the 10th against Seranthony Dominguez but failed to score.
Max Muncy also homered for the Dodgers and Bo Bichette hit a three-run homer for the Blue Jays.
Toronto’s Ernie Clement had three hits to set a postseason record of 30. He extended his postseason hit streak to 13 games, a franchise record.
“Historic,” Schneider said. “You don’t see that very often. We’re talking about really good pitchers, right-handers, left-handers. Ernie had a phenomenal year. I hope he wins a Gold Glove. He should. And he kind of became one of the faces of our team because of the way he plays.”
George Springer added three hits for Toronto.
Shohei Ohtani, L.A.’s Game 4 starter, allowed Springer’s leadoff single in the third. Springer took second on Nathan Lukes’ sacrifice and moved to third on a wild pitch to Guerrero, who was then walked intentionally. Bichette smashed a first-pitch slider to center for his first homer of the postseason and the Blue Jays jumped out to a 3-0 lead. Ohtani allowed three runs, five hits and two walks with three strikeouts in 2 1/3 innings.
Smith doubled high off the wall in left-center against Toronto starter Max Scherzer to start the fourth and took third on Freddie Freeman’s single. Muncy walked with one out. Center fielder Daulton Varsho made a diving catch on Teoscar Hernandez’s sacrifice fly but Smith scored.
Scherzer allowed one run, four hits and one walk with three strikeouts in 4 1/3 innings.
Toronto’s Chris Bassitt walked Mookie Betts to start the sixth. Muncy singled and was out at second on Hernandez’s bouncer to the mound. Tommy Edman hit a sacrifice fly to center.
Clement led off the home sixth with a single, stole second and scored on Andres Gimenez’s double to center.
Toronto’s Trey Yesavage allowed Muncy’s third homer of the postseason with one out in the eighth on a 1-1 splitter.
–Larry Millson, Field Level Media
