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The Los Angeles Dodgers walked off the Toronto Blue Jays in 18 innings in World Series Game 3, taking a 2-1 lead in the series.
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Freddie Freeman hit a walk-off home run in the 18th inning after one of the wildest games in MLB history.
World Series Game 3 Recap
Things started off with a bang as superstar Shohei Ohtani smacked a 113.8 mph double on the second pitch of the bottom of the first inning from three-time Cy Young award winner Max Scherzer. However, the Dodgers stranded him at first.
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In the second inning, after a Bo Bichette single, a 3-1 offering to Daulton Varsho that appeared outside of the strikezone but was called a strike caused Bichette to drift off the bag. All-Star catcher Will Smith pointed out to alert Tyler Glasnow as he tossed the ball to first to get the first out. Varsho was later walked and Alejandro Kirk single put runners on the corners, rather than scoring a run if Bichette was still on. LA got out of the inning and proceeded to the bottom of the second.
In the bottom of the second inning, Teoscar Hernández unleashed a 109 mph solo shot that landed in the Dodgers bullpen 412 feet away to give his team the lead.
In the bottom of the third inning, Ohtani got a hold of another Scherzer offering, this time going yard for his seventh of the postseason.
The fourth inning began with a Vladimir Guerrero Jr. walk and was followed by a Tommy Edman error to get runners on the corners. With two on and one out later in the inning, Kirk got his second hit of the night, a 394-foot home run to give his team the lead. Glasnow allowed back-to-back singles, and a sacrifice fly from Andres Gimenez pushed the lead to 4-2.
After recording two outs in the fourth inning, Glasnow’s night was done as he was replaced by Anthony Banda to record the final out of the fifth inning. Glasnow had five strikeouts, three walks and two earned runs before he was pulled.
In the bottom of the fifth inning, after recording an out, Scherzer’s night was done. With a man on first and Ohtani at the plate, Mason Fluharty started his night. Ohtani hit an RBI double (his third hit of the night) to shrink the lead to one run.
Freddie Freeman shot a two-out single down the first base side to bring in Ohtani and tie the game at four runs apiece. It was his second hit of the World Series and second RBI of the postseason.
The seventh inning is where things got more intense for both teams. On the first pitch of the frame, Blue Jays star designated hitter George Springer appeared to injure himself while taking a swing and had to exit the contest. Later in the inning, Bichette hit an RBI single to get Guerrero home and give the Blue Jays a 5-4 lead.
In the bottom of the inning, Ohtani didn’t take too kindly to Toronto taking the lead. He continued his dominant night with another home run to tie things up.
Southpaw Jack Dreyer entered at the top of the eighth inning, but allowed two baserunners and got just one out. Right-handed phenom Roki Sasaki entered the game in a pickle to save the day. He generated two ground outs to get out of the inning as the Dodgers headed to the bottom of the frame. LA went down in order as Sasaki went back out for the top of the ninth.
The young reliever generated a fly out, but walked the next batter. After a well-hit Daulton Varsho single snuck through Freddie Freeman’s glove despite getting some leather on it, Tommy Edman delivered a pinpoint throw to Max Muncy at third base to get the second out of the inning. Sasaki walked the next batter to put two on, but generated a ground out to head to the bottom of the ninth.
In the bottom of the ninth inning, Andy Pages popped up on the 10th pitch of his at-bat, and Ohtani was intentionally walked with nobody on. Ohtani then attempted to steal second base, but was caught stealing. Betts then popped out and the game went to extra innings.
Emmet Sheehan came in for the 10th inning and got Ernie Clement out and struck out Gimenez. After a Ty France single and a Nathan Lukes double, Edman once again showed off his illustrious arm and had a perfect throw to Will Smith at home plate to get pinch runner Davis Schneider out at home plate.
In the bottom half of the 10th, Freeman was at the plate with a chance to win it, a situation he made history in around this time last year. However, he got out, Will Smith drew a walk, and Max Muncy struck out looking. Teoscar Hernández hit a single to get two on for Edman, who popped out to go to the 11th.
Sheehan came back out for the top half of the 11th and forced Guerrero to fly out. He got the second out by way of a ground out he fielded himself. Sheehan secured a strikeout for the third out of the inning, and Game 3 of the World Series went to the bottom of the frame.
Kiké Hernández led off the bottom of the 11th, but struck out with a full count. Pages lined out and Ohtani was intentionally walked with Betts up to bat. Betts collected a well-hit single, but Freeman flew out to go to the 12th.
Sheehan came back out for the 12th inning as future Hall of Famer Clayton Kershaw was seen warming up in the bullpen. Sheehan walked the first batter, but Freeman made a great play on the ball to catch a bunt for the first out. A groundball got the second out, and after an intentional walk, a weak-hit ball to third base was smartly fielded by Muncy who left his foot on the bag, but the runner made it in time to load up the bases.
Sheehan was pulled from the game as Clayton Kershaw entered with the bases loaded and two outs.
Kershaw, with a full count, generated a ground ball to Tommy Edman who made an impressive play to flip the ball to Freeman for the final out.
To kick off the bottom of the 12th, Smith struck out looking and Muncy flew out via a nifty play from Isiah Kiner-Falefa. Teoscar Hernández popped up and the game soldiered on to the 13th.
Edgardo Henriquez stepped to the mound for the 13th inning and Guerrero grounded out for the first out. He struck out the next batter with a flurry of triple-digit pitches. Henriquez drilled the next batter, but generated a fly ball right after to end the inning.
Tommy Edman stepped up to the plate in the bottom of the 13th inning and recorded a leadoff double. He had been clutch all night on defense and did exactly what was needed of him in that moment. Miguel Rojas pinch hit to deliver a sacrifice bunt to get Edman to third. Alex Call batted for Pages and popped out. Ohtani and Betts were both intentionally walked to bring Freeman to the plate and the bases loaded. Freeman flew out to the warning track.
For the 14th inning, Edman was subbed to center field, Call went to left, and Rojas went to second. Henriquez came back out on the mound and got the first batter to fly out to Edman. The next batter smoked a ball to Muncy who delivered a strike to Freeman who dug it out for out No. 2. Henriquez then got a strikeout to end the inning.
In the bottom of the frame, Smith led things off and smashed a ball 383 feet … to the warning track. Next up, Muncy tattooed a ball that went foul and would later walk to get one on and one out for Teoscar Hernández. Hernández knocked in a single to get two on for Edman, who popped out. Miguel Rojas grounded out to head to the 15th inning.
Will Klein got the ball to pitch the top of the frame and struck out the first batter. He got the second batter to ground out, and despite a valiant effort from Rojas, an infield hit from Guerrero got him on board. Klein punched out the final batter of the inning and Game 3 went to the bottom half of the 15th.
Call grounded out to start the inning, and Ohtani was once again intentionally walked. Betts flew out and Freeman once again took to the dish with two outs and one on. Freeman flew out on a well-defended ball to push this game to the 16th.
To kick off the top of the 16th inning, Rojas snagged a nice ground ball to make a play for the first out, and the second batter popped up to Klein. The right-hander struck out the final batter to send it to the bottom of the 16th still tied at 5.
Smith struck out on Eric Lauer’s 61st pitch of the night to start the bottom of the frame. Muncy struck out on his 67th pitch of the night. Teoscar Hernández flew out to send the game to the 17th.
With Klein back out for the 17th, he generated a pop out, and struck out the next batter. Klein snagged a comebacker to get the Dodgers to the bottom of the frame.
Edman led off the bottom of the 17th with Brendon Little now pitching for the Blue Jays. Little struck out Edman and Rojas grounded out. Alex call got a single and Ohtani was at the plate, and although not intentionally, was walked yet again. Betts popped out and the game went to the 18th.
Klein came back out in the 18th, and secured the first out via a lineout to Freeman. Klein walked the next batter and generated an extremely close double play, but upon further review, the runner was safe at first. Klein walked another batter after he held back his check swing on a full count. Klein tossed a wild pitch to advance the runners, but struck out the next batter to send the Dodgers to the bottom of the frame in electric fashion.
Photo Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
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