Everybody knew it. Everybody felt the tension and suspense. On Saturday night, one team and its fans would be victorious, unwavering in their love for the game of baseball; the other team and its fans would be heartbroken and defeated because of their unwavering love for the game of baseball. One man would be venerated as a hero who pulled through when the urgency of the moment called for it, while another man would be remembered as the one who fell short in his valiant efforts. These were the stakes heading into game 7 of the World Series, tied 3-3 between the Toronto Blue Jays and the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Shohei Ohtani took the mound for Los Angeles and was unexpectedly pulled out after only a little over two innings, allowing 3 earned runs that put Toronto up 3-0 early. Max Scherzer fared considerably better for Toronto, going for a little over 4, striking out 3, and holding Los Angeles to 1 earned run. The 4-2 score going into the late innings was fragile but encouraging for Toronto, who has not won a World Series title since Joe Carter’s legendary walk-off home run in 1993.
Toronto held a 4-3 lead into the 9th. Jeff Hoffman answered the call to pitch the last 4 outs to deliver Toronto’s 3rd ever title. To start the 9th, Kiké Hernández struck out swinging on a 1-2 count. Up stepped the 9 hole hitter, shortstop Miguel Rojas. He tapped the plate with his bat and stood ready. He chased a slider, strike 1. Then came another slider, this time a ball. Rojas found himself ahead in the count with the next pitch. He then fouled off a sinker to bring it to an even 2-2 count. A second foul ball was followed by a slider that just barely missed the strike zone. The count was full.
On the seventh pitch of the at-bat, a 3-2 count, Hoffman kicked up and dealt another slider. It hung in the zone. Rojas swung hard. He hit it to deep left field and over the wall. The game was tied.
Hoffman was able to close out the rest of the inning, but the damage was done. Los Angeles put up a legendary defensive stand in the bottom of the inning that culminated in catcher Will Smith just barely forcing Isiah Kiner-Falefa out at home, robbing Toronto of a walk-off.
Yoshinobu Yamamoto took the mound for the Dodgers in the bottom of the 9th going off only one day of rest after shutting out Toronto for 6 innings on Halloween night. This inning saw the loaded bases that led to Smith’s force out at home. The game went into extras, and Yamamoto pitched a beautiful 1-2-3 inning to send it into the 11th.
Will Smith’s heroics continued when he hit a solo home run in the top of the inning, putting Los Angeles up 5-4 for the first lead they held that game. The next frame, Yamamoto allowed a double to Valdimir Guerrero, Jr. and walked Addison Barger with only 1 out.
Alejandro Kirk stepped up to the plate. He quickly fell down in the count 0-2. Yamamoto breathed in, kicked up, and fired a splitter; Kirk made weak contact as the pitch broke down and in, his bat breaking into pieces. Betts fielded the grounder cleanly, forced Barger out at second, and threw to Freddie Freeman on first to force out Kirk. The Los Angeles Dodgers were World Series champions.
“It’s so great to feel it again,” said Mikey Torres, a local Dodgers fan. “We’ve been insane these past few years. Now we repeat,” he laughed, “I just can’t wait to see what we do in the coming few years with Shohei, Freddie, Yamamoto, all those guys.”
Baseball coach Juan Garcia gave his thoughts on the overall play, “There were so many plays for the Blue Jays to finish the series, but the Dodgers just kept at it, and they won. Go Dodgers!”
