Los Angeles Dodgers' Teoscar Hernández throws water on Freddie Freeman after his walk off home run during the 18th inning Monday.David J. Phillip/The Associated Press
Freddie Freeman cracked a solo shot in the 18th inning to help the Los Angeles Dodgers outlast the Toronto Blue Jays 6-5 in a gruelling Game 3 of the World Series at Dodger Stadium.
In a marathon game that stretched nearly seven hours and also featured two Shohei Ohtani homers and an injury departure by George Springer, the Dodgers pulled ahead 2-1 in the best-of-seven series.
The Dodgers spilled onto the field as I Love L.A. roared over the speakers, long after many Jays fans back in Toronto probably fell asleep.
It tied Game 3 in 2018 – also at Dodger Stadium – for the longest in Fall Classic history.
“The Dodgers didn’t win the World Series today; they won a game,” said Jays manager John Schneider. “These guys are going to be ready to go tomorrow.”
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Meanwhile the Jays clubhouse was sombre afterward.
“We grinded, battled our tails off, tired as hell,” said Toronto’s Ernie Clement afterward. “They outlasted and made the big play...I expect us to come out firing tomorrow.”
Monday was a Dodgers party, as this World Series finally arrived in L.A., and inside one of baseball’s oldest, most storied buildings.
Country music star Brad Paisley played The Star Spangled Banner on his electric guitar. The stadium was spotted with celebrities from Jason Bateman to Justin Bieber, Rob Lowe and Magic Johnson.
George Springer removed from Game 3 of World Series with injury
When the game began, the Dodger faithful booed Springer mercilessly every time Toronto’s leadoff man came to bat. He exited Monday’s game after suffering an apparent back or side injury while swinging the bat, and they booed him then too.
“It’s some right side discomfort. He already went for a MRI. We’ll see how it comes back and see how he walks up tomorrow. But it sucks,” said Schneider. “He’s obviously a huge part of our lineup … we’ll see how he is tomorrow.”
Their own leadoff man though – Ohtani – got booming cheers as he repeatedly strolled to bat with the swinging horns of his familiar walkup song blaring, Michael Bublé’s cover version of Feeling Good. He’d get on base a jaw-dropping nine times on the night.
Ohtani and Teoscar Hernandez both slugged homers off Scherzer for an early Los Angeles lead.
The Jays pulled ahead in a big fourth inning. Alejandro Kirk hit a three-run shot, and then Andrés Giménez poked a sacrifice fly to score Addison Barger.
Dodgers starter Tyler Glasnow left in the fifth inning after allowing five hits, three walks and four runs – two earned – while punching out five batters.
With his start Monday, Max Scherzer appeared for a fourth team in the World Series. The 41-year-old lasted 4 1/3 innings, allowing five hits and three runs while fanning three and walking one.
The Dodgers tied the game with two runs off RBIs in the fifth, a double from Ohtani and a single by Freeman.
The Jays roared ahead again in the seventh, as Bichette singled on a ground ball to score Guerrero.
Ohtani’s second homer – his eighth of these playoffs – tied the game in the seventh inning. He became the first ever player with three multi-homer games in a single post-season.
The curious romance of baseball on the radio endures against all odds
The Jays intentionally walked him the next four times he came to the plate.
The game went to extras. Having called in four pinch runners, the Jays had limited choices left to do that job, and some valuable bats – like Barger – were now gone from the lineup. Nathan Lukes doubled in the 10th and Davis Schneider was sent home, but he was called out in a close encounter at the plate.
The Jays loaded the bases in the 11th. The Dodgers called in veteran pitcher Clayton Kershaw, and he kept them from scoring.
The Dodgers loaded the bases in the 13th – via back-to-back intentional walks, and the Jays held them.
The game lasted so long, it had a second seventh-inning stretch in the 14th. The Jays used nine pitchers, including four scoreless innings by Eric Lauer in relief. Even the Game 4 starter, Shane Bieber, was starting to warm up.
The Jays didn’t get men in scoring position again until the 18th inning. But they couldn’t get one over the plate.
As Freeman cracked the shot into centre field, the fans chanted his name as the Dodgers spilled out of the dugout to join him. The Jays disappeared into their dugout.
After all of that, Ohtani will start on the mound in Tuesday’s Game 4.
“He’s spent. He was on base eight, nine times tonight, running the bases. He’s elated,” said Dodgers manager Dave Roberts. “He’s taking the mound tomorrow. He’ll be ready.”
Toronto Blue Jays fans pushed their bedtimes to watch the Blue Jays-Dodgers game, which tied the record for the most innings in World Series history.
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