Freeman’s Walk-off Homer Lifts Dodgers Over Blue Jays In 18-inning World Series Epic

Freddie Freeman deed a leadoff location tally successful nan bottommost of nan 18th inning to springiness nan Dodgers a 6–5 triumph complete nan Toronto Blue Jays successful Game 3 of nan World Series connected Monday night, pushing Los Angeles to a 2–1 lead successful nan best-of-seven tilt.

The 6hr 39min epic astatine Dodger Stadium tied nan longest Fall Classic title ever played by innings and ended only aft some teams burned done double-digit pitchers, emptied their benches, and watched aggregate would-be walk-offs autumn short astatine nan informing track. It besides came connected a nighttime erstwhile Shohei Ohtani delivered 1 of nan astir singular postseason performances successful shot history.

The Dodgers are now 2 wins distant from a title and could clinch a title astatine location for nan first clip since 1963. Game 4 is Tuesday nighttime pinch Ohtani making his first World Series commencement connected nan mound. First transportation is abruptly coming very soon for a subordinate who spent astir 7 hours Monday nighttime connected nan bases, successful nan batter’s container and nether nan brightest glare imaginable.

“I want to spell to slumber arsenic soon arsenic imaginable truthful I tin get ready,” Ohtani said done a translator afterward pinch a weary smile.

He’s earned nan rest. The two-way prima reached guidelines 9 times – nan first subordinate to do truthful successful immoderate MLB crippled since 1942 – pinch 2 location runs, 2 doubles and 5 walks, 4 of them intentional. He became nan first hitter successful postseason history pinch 4 extra-base hits successful a World Series crippled and nan first to person that galore intentional passes.

“What matters astir is that we won,” Ohtani said. “We flip nan page and get fresh for nan adjacent one.”

Los Angeles needed each publication he offered. The Dodgers jumped to a 2–0 lead early: Teoscar Hernández homered successful nan 2nd and Ohtani followed pinch a towering changeable wrong nan right-field rod successful nan third. The sound suggested a comfortable nighttime mightiness beryllium forming.

Toronto ripped that distant successful nan fourth. A protect correction extended nan inning, and Alejandro Kirk hammered a hanging curveball from Tyler Glasnow into nan left-center seats for a three-run homer. The Blue Jays added a sacrifice alert for a 4–2 advantage, their bats snapping to life aft going acold successful Game 2.

The Dodgers spent nan adjacent respective hours responding to each Toronto punch. In nan fifth, Ohtani drove a transportation into nan left-center spread for an RBI double – his first opposite-field extra-base deed successful much than a period – and Freddie Freeman followed pinch a difficult azygous to necktie it 4–4.

The ninth innings that followed, 1 aft another, preserved hostility arsenic overmuch arsenic they prevented resolution. The plays connected nan bases unsocial bordered connected nan surreal: six runners erased successful total, pinch Tommy Edman throwing retired 1 astatine 3rd guidelines successful nan ninth and different astatine nan sheet successful nan 10th connected a cleanable relay from Hernández.

There was moreover a bizarre pickoff successful nan sixth erstwhile Bo Bichette wandered toward 2nd aft confusing nan home-plate umpire’s delayed onslaught awesome for a walk, only to beryllium snapped retired astatine first by Glasnow.

Clayton Kershaw, Shohei Ohtani and Max Muncy of nan Los Angeles Dodgers observe connected nan section aft Monday’s win. Photograph: Sean M Haffey/Getty Images

The seesaw tilted again successful nan seventh erstwhile Vladimir Guerrero Jr sprinted location from first connected a ricochet disconnected nan side-wall successful correct field, giving Toronto a 5–4 edge. That lasted for each of 1 Ohtani sheet appearance. He belted a middle-middle fastball 401 feet to left-center to necktie nan people for nan 3rd time.

Then came nan agelong freeze.

Toronto declined to fto Ohtani hit them again, intentionally stepping him successful nan ninth, 11th, 13th and 15th. In 1 of those innings, nan Blue Jays walked some Ohtani and Mookie Betts to load nan bases and still escaped.

Manager John Schneider’s strategy worked because nan Toronto bullpen kept uncovering exits, moreover arsenic nan squad dipped into emergency options. George Springer exited injured successful nan seventh, starring to a bid of emergency pinch-hitters.

The Dodgers countered pinch bullpen endurance of their own. They utilized 10 pitchers, a World Series grounds for a azygous game. Clayton Kershaw entered successful nan 12th pinch nan bases loaded and sewage a groundout to snuff retired a awesome threat. Rookie right-hander Will Klein delivered 4 scoreless innings, nan outing Freeman would later move into a win.

Edgardo Henriquez and others followed, matching zeroes arsenic nan hours dragged on. Every transportation could person ended nan game. Every transportation seemed not to.

Freeman astir won it successful nan 13th, but his heavy alert shot died conscionable short of nan wall. Again successful nan 15th, nan crowd roseate arsenic a blast soared toward center, only to slump backmost into their seats erstwhile nan drawback was made. As nan nighttime approached a seventh inning of extras, Dodger fans looked almost stunned by really stubborn nan crippled had become.

Finally, nan leadoff hitter successful nan 18th stepped in. Freeman worked a afloat count against left-hander Brendon Little, past sewage a sinker that stayed up. He crushed it 406 feet to straightaway halfway and dropped his bat.

The Dodgers spilled from nan dugout. Ohtani jogged successful from nan on-deck circle, pointing toward his teammate. It was over. It took each night. It felt for illustration a week.

Los Angeles will aftermath up tired but 2 wins from nan title. Ohtani will return nan shot again, this clip not to prevention nan Dodgers but to push them person to history.