TORONTO (AP) — Will Smith homered in the 11th inning after Miguel Rojas scored the tying run in the ninth, and the Los Angeles Dodgers defeated the Toronto Blue Jays 5-4 in Game 7 on Saturday night to become the first team in a quarter century to win back-to-back World Series titles.
Los Angeles overcame 3-0 and 4-2 deficits to escape a bases-loaded jam in the ninth to become the first repeat champions since the New York Yankees of 1998-2000, and the first from the National League since the Cincinnati Reds of 1975 and ’76.
Smith hit a 2-0 slider from Shane Bieber into the Blue Jays’ bullpen, giving the Dodgers their first lead of the night.
Yoshinobu Yamamoto, who threw 96 pitches in Friday’s Dodgers victory, escaped a bases-loaded jam in the ninth and threw 2 2/3 innings for his third win of the Series.
Mark Blinch via Getty Images
He gave up a leadoff double in the 11th to Vladimir Guerrero Jr., who was sacrificed to third. Addison Barger walked and Alejandro Kirk grounded to shortstop Mookie Betts, who started a title-winning 6-4-3 double play.
With their ninth title and third in six years, the Dodgers made an argument for considering their 2020 teams a dynasty. Dave Robertstheir manager since 2016, increases the chances of him being inducted into the Hall of Fame.
Bo Bichette put Toronto ahead in the third with a three-run homer off two-way star Shohei Ohtani, who was pitching on three days’ rest after taking the loss in Game 3.
Los Angeles closed to 3-2 on sacrifice flies by Teoscar Hernández in the fourth off Max Scherzer and Tommy Edman in the sixth against Chris Bassitt.
Andrés Giménez restored Toronto’s two-run lead with an RBI double in the sixth off Tyler Glasnow, who came on after getting the final three outs on three pitches to save Game 6 on Friday.
Max Muncy’s eighth-inning home run off star rookie Trey Yesavage cut the Dodgers’ deficit to one run, and Rojas, who was inserted into the lineup in Game 6 to provide some energy, homered on a full-count slider by Jeff Hoffman.
