LOS ANGELES — It was a night baseball fans will talk about for decades. A marathon showdown turned instant classic at Dodger Stadium on Monday as the Los Angeles Dodgers edged the Toronto Blue Jays 6–5 in a dramatic 18-inning thriller to seize a 2–1 advantage in the World Series. The game stretched 6 hours and 39 minutes, matching the longest by innings in postseason history, and tested the limits of bullpen depth, patience, and stamina on both sides.
With the scoreboard frozen at 5–5 deep into extra innings, Freddie Freeman stepped into the batter’s box to lead off the bottom of the 18th. On the second pitch he saw from left-hander Brendon Little, Freeman launched a towering 406-foot drive straight to center. The crowd erupted instantly, shaking Chavez Ravine despite the cold that had settled in over the long night. For Freeman, the moment was historic in its own right — his second walk-off World Series home run in as many seasons, a feat rarely witnessed in the modern era.
The Dodgers, defending champions, now stand one win away from clinching the title at home — something they haven’t done since 1963.
Ohtani’s Record-Setting Stage
While Freeman delivered the final blow, the night belonged just as much to Shohei Ohtani. The two-way superstar continued a postseason run that hardly feels real anymore. Ohtani blasted two solo homers, doubled twice, and became just the second player ever to tally four extra-base hits in a World Series game — the first being Frank Isbell in 1906. After his fourth hit, Toronto pitchers refused to give him anything near the zone, issuing walk after walk. By night’s end, Ohtani had reached base nine consecutive times, breaking an 83-year-old MLB record for a postseason contest.
The energy inside the stadium shifted every time he stepped into the batter’s box. Now, perhaps more stunning, he is slated to take the mound Tuesday for Game 4.
Blue Jays Fight Back, But Run Out of Arms
Toronto didn’t make it easy. After falling behind 2–0 early, they rallied for four runs in the fourth inning — two unearned due to a critical infield error. Alejandro Kirk delivered the blow, sending a three-run homer deep into left and celebrating with the team’s now-iconic home run jacket.
In the seventh, the Blue Jays surged again. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. singled, then raced home on Bo Bichette’s sharp liner down the right-field line. The ball clipped equipment along the low wall and kicked into shallow right, allowing Guerrero to slide just ahead of Will Smith’s tag. For a brief moment, Toronto led 5–4.
But the Dodgers refused to fold. Ohtani’s second homer of the night tied the score, swinging momentum once more.
From there, pitching on both sides became a test of endurance. Dodgers rookie Roki Sasaki danced out of back-to-back jams, inducing timely groundouts. As the innings extended, dugouts turned tense, reserves grew thin, and fans paced the aisles. At one point, Guerrero casually munched on apple slices as he waited his next turn — a surreal visual in a surreal game.
The Unsung Hero: Will Klein
Los Angeles turned to the final available arm in their bullpen: right-hander Will Klein. What followed was four innings of fearless pitching, allowing just one hit on a staggering 72 pitches, doubling his previous career high. Klein earned the biggest win of his young career and allowed the Dodgers’ offense one final chance at glory.
Scherzer’s Unusual Milestone
Veteran ace Max Scherzer, long familiar with October drama, made history too. With Monday’s outing, he became the first pitcher to appear in the World Series for four different franchises. He battled through early innings, but the Dodgers found their rhythm once Toronto turned to its bullpen.
History Repeats Itself in Hollywood
Oddly enough, the last World Series game to stretch 18 innings also unfolded at Dodger Stadium — Game 3 of the 2018 Fall Classic. Los Angeles won that one with an extra-inning home run as well. Freeman’s teammate, Max Muncy, delivered that game’s walk-off blast.
What’s Next
Game 4 arrives quickly. Toronto will turn to right-hander Shane Bieber, making his first World Series start. Against a Dodgers lineup firing on all cylinders and an Ohtani scheduled to pitch, the Blue Jays will need their most disciplined offensive performance of the series to even the score.
For now, though, Monday’s duel stands as a masterpiece of postseason tension — the kind of game that cements legends. And for the 52,654 fans who stayed on their feet deep into the morning, including Hall of Famer Sandy Koufax, it was another night of October baseball magic in Los Angeles