Tension Explodes in Game 7 as the Blue Jays Strike Big and the Dodgers Lose Their Cool.yv

• Blue Jays holding the lead: Toronto’s star second baseman Bo Bichette blasted the Blue Jays into the lead on a home run off Shohei Ohtani in the third. The Dodgers pulled one run back in each of the top of the fourth and sixth to narrow the lead, but the Blue Jays rebuilt a two-run lead in the bottom of the sixth.

• A tense affair: The Dodgers were climbing back into the game after initially trailing by three, but the Blue Jays aren’t letting them put together a big rally and an Andrés Giménez double extended the lead. The crowd in Toronto is living and dying on every pitch of this tense matchup.

• Benches clear in the 4th: It’s not often you see the benches clear in a Game 7, but a confrontation between Giménez and Justin Wrobleski brought both teams to the field after Giménez was hit by a pitch.

• Score: It’s 4-2 Blue Jays in the top of the 7th.

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After a single and a stolen base from Ernie Clement, Andrés Giménez ripped a double into the right-centerfield gap off Tyler Glasnow to score Clement and give the Jays a sliver of breathing room.

After Glasnow retired the next two Toronto batters, Vladimir Guerrero, Jr. stepped to the plate with a chance to break the game wide open.

But Glasnow induced a harmless groundout to third base to end the Blue Jays’ threat and bring the Dodgers back up to bat with Shohei Ohtani set to lead off the seventh inning.

Top 7th: Blue Jays 4, Dodgers 2

This game is getting closer and closer!

The Dodgers gained ground on Jays’ relief pitcher Chris Bassitt, which ultimately led to a sacrifice fly from Tommy Edman to score Mookie Betts.

Kiké Hernández on the next at-bat hit a single, moving Teoscar Hernández to second base.

With the game-tying run on second, Bassitt was able to get Miguel Rojas to ground out to end the inning.

Bottom of the sixth inning up next with the Blue Jays really needing some insurance runs.

Top 6th: Blue Jays 3, Dodgers 2

Tyler Glasnow was back on the mound for the Dodgers in the fifth inning.

Despite pitching last night, Glasnow looks sharp and retired the Blue Jays in short order, allowing just a soft single to Alejandro Kirk.

The Los Angeles pitching staff has yet to record a 1-2-3 inning in the game.

Top 6th: Blue Jays 3, Dodgers 1

If that’s the last we see of Max Scherzer on a MLB mound, what a masterpiece.

According to MLB’s Statcast, Scherzer averaged almost 2 miles per hour more on his fastball tonight than he had all year – 95.2 miles per hour tonight as compared to the 93.6 miles per hour this year. He threw 54 pitches, with his spin rate up, his velocity way up on almost all his pitches and – most importantly – limiting the Dodgers to just the one run.

Scherzer has been one of the top pitchers in the big leagues since the early 2010s when he turned around his career with the Detroit Tigers. Since then, he’s won three Cy Young awards as the best pitcher in baseball, made eight All-Star teams and won two World Series titles – three if the Blue Jays win this game tonight.

It’s a resumé that looks tailor-made for Cooperstown. But what set Scherzer apart was his intensity.

A true bulldog when he had the ball, Scherzer is as well-known for his amped-up antics as he is for his fireball of a fastball. No greater example could be given than his “conversation” with manager John Schneider during Game 4 of the ALCS, when Scherzer used his powers of persuasion to stay in the game.

Suffice to say, Scherzer is a one-of-a-kind baseball character. If he chooses to hang up his spikes after this game – he’s 41 and has been in MLB since 2008 – he will be missed.

The Rogers Centre crowd is absolutely loving every second of this as Max Scherzer exits the game to a raucous ovation after 4.1 innings of work.

After striking out Enrique Hernandez, Scherzer allowed Miguel Rojas on base with a single.

Jays manager John Schneider came out of the dugout to get the ball from “Mad Max.”

Louis Varland came in relief but he proved no match for Shohei Ohtani, who got on base for the second time tonight.

But the 27-year-old did a masterful job getting Will Smith and Freddie Freeman to both fly out to center.

The score remains the same!

Top 5th: Blue Jays 3, Dodgers 1

After Dodgers pitcher Justin Wrobleski hit Andrés Giménez with a pitch, Blue Jays lead-off hitter George Springer returned the favor with a line drive off Wrobleski’s leg for an infield single to put runners on first and second base.

Wrobleski struck out Nathan Lukes on his final pitch of the night. Dodgers’ manager Dave Roberts elected to turn to Tyler Glasnow to face Vladimir Guerrero, Jr.

Typically a starter, Glasnow is appearing less than 24 hours after recording the save for Los Angeles in Game 6.

Glasnow retired Guerrero on a soft liner to center field to end another long inning for the Dodgers’ pitching staff.

Top 5th: Blue Jays 3, Dodgers 1

After some dazzling defense to avoid a big Dodgers’ inning, the Blue Jays came to the plate looking to extend their lead.

The mood changed suddenly after Justin Wrobleski hit Toronto No. 9 hitter Andrés Giménez with a pitch inside. The incident came one pitch after Giménez appeared to try to lean into a ball inside that narrowly missed him.

Wrobleski and Giménez exchanged words and both benches and bullpens emptied, but cooler heads prevailed.

Home plate umpire Jordan Baker issued warnings to both teams.

Bottom 4th: Blue Jays 3, Dodgers 1

Max Scherzer looked like he was nearing the end of his rope in the fourth, getting saved by some great defensive plays from the guys behind him to limit the damage to one run.

But Blue Jays manager John Schneider just told the Fox broadcast that Scherzer will head back out for the fifth inning.

An interesting move for the Jays, living dangerously on the whip of an arm on the 41-year-old Scherzer.

It was only a matter of time before the high-powered Dodgers offense woke up.

With the bases loaded, it was up to Teoscar Hernández to try to cut into the 3-0 deficit the Dodgers are in.

While Hernández drove in a run on a sac fly, it was Toronto outfielder Daulton Varsho’s amazing web gem nominee diving catch that will make headlines.

The 29-year-old saved multiple runs with his flashing of the leather.

Tommy Edman was next up and hit a sharp line drive down the first base line, only to see Vladimir Guerrero Jr., make a diving catch to get Scherzer and the Jays out of the inning with minimal damage.

Top 4th: Blue Jays 3, Dodgers 1

The game is truly starting to pick up pace.

Catcher Will Smith attacked Max Scherzer’s first pitch of the fourth inning, hitting a double off the Roger Centre outfield wall.

Scherzer, who had retired the last nine Dodger batters, then faced Freddie Freeman.

The first baseman quickly smacked a single, moving Smith to third base.

Can the Dodgers cut into the lead?

Top 4th: Blue Jays 3, Dodgers 0

Los Angeles’ new pitcher Justin Wrobleski surrendered a single to the first batter he faced in Addison Barger as Toronto looked to continue its onslaught.

Wrobleski settled down from there and recorded the final two outs of the inning to bring the Dodgers back up to bat.

Top 4th: Blue Jays 3, Dodgers 0

After making the last out of the top of the third inning, Shohei Ohtani was once again slow to take the field and begin his warm-up pitches, much to the chagrin of Toronto manager John Schneider.

He was greeted rudely by George Springer, who hit his second single of the game. Nathan Lukes then dropped down a nice bunt to move Spinger into scoring position for Vladimir Guerrero, Jr.

After a wild pitch and intentional walk to Guerrero, Bo Bichette stepped to the plate and launched a 3-run homer to put Toronto in front. Bichette stood and admired his towering home run as the crowd went into ecstasy.

Ohtani has been lifted from the game after 2+ innings.

Bottom 3rd: Blue Jays 3, Dodgers 0

Is it 2019?

Max Scherzer is looking like the once dominant pitcher he once was, having now retired nine straight Dodgers, including Shohei Ohtani, to end the third inning.

Ohtani drove the ball to the warning track but an out is an out.

The 41-year-old has two strikeouts on only 28 pitches thrown.

Top 3rd: Dodgers 0, Blue Jays 0

Between the first and second inning, Toronto manager John Schneider had words for the umpires about the extra time that Shohei Ohtani was allowed to warm up in the bottom of the first.

The bottom of the second inning started in a more timely fashion, and began on a positive note for the Blue Jays as Ohtani walked Bo Bichette.

Addison Barger served a soft single into right field to set the table for Toronto.

Alejandro Kirk was the next man up, and fouled out with a pop-up to Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman. Daulton Varsho followed with a flyout to right field to bring up No. 8 hitter Ernie Clement.

Clement hit an opposite field single to right field, but Bichette, who returned to action for the World Series after missing a month and a half with a knee injury, was stopped at third to load the bases.

Ohtani escaped with a swinging strikeout of Andrés Giménez, and the Japanese phenom let out a celebratory scream.

But the Blue Jays are making Ohtani work for every out, and his pitch count is already beginning to mount.

Top 3rd: Dodgers 0, Blue Jays 0

Max Scherzer is already having a better go of it in this Game 7 than he did in his previous World-Series-deciding start in 2019.

One of four pitchers to start two World Series Game 7s, Scherzer had a rough (by his standards) outing against the Houston Astros when he was a member of the Washington Nationals in 2019. Still at his dominating best, Scherzer fell well short of expectations as he battled through five innings in Houston.

He started that Game 7 after being scratched from starting Game 5 when he woke up with neck and back spasms before the game.

The Astros scored two runs against him – the first coming on a home run by Yuli Gurriel in the bottom of the second inning – though Scherzer’s Nats came back to win the game and take home the title.

Six years older and now north of 40 years old, Scherzer is cruising through the Dodgers’ lineup at the moment – though Tommy Edman almost equaled Gurriel’s 2019 feat on the final out of the second inning. “Mad Max” has allowed just one hit and struck out one hitter so far in this one.

It’ll be interesting to see how long manager John Schneider allows him to go. He’s said before the game that all his pitchers – even Trey Yesavage, who pitched on Wednesday, and maybe Kevin Gausman, who pitched last night – are options today.

The second inning saw vintage Max Scherzer, getting the Dodgers to go down 1-2-3 in quick and precise fashion.

Needing just 20 pitches to get through the first two innings, will we see “Mad Max” go a few more innings?

Not bad for the 41-year-old who has dealt with numerous injuries and was even left off the ALDS roster earlier this postseason.

Its the Jays’ turn to hit!

Top 2nd: Dodgers 0, Blue Jays 0

Toronto leadoff man George Springer laced a hard-hit single off Shohei Ohtani to get the Jays and the Canadian crowd off to a hot start.

Ohtani bounced back to strike out Nathan Lukes with a splitter to bring up Toronto’s centerpiece, Vladimir Guerrero, Jr.

Ohtani caught Guerrero looking at a 100mph fastball for strike three, and Will Smith threw out Springer trying to take second base for a double play to snuff the Jays’ threat out in an instant.

Top 2nd: Dodgers 0, Blue Jays 0

After leading off the game with a single at the plate, all eyes are on the Dodgers’ two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani as he toes the rubber to try to lead Los Angeles to glory on just three days rest.

The Blue Jays were able to get to Ohtani in Game 4, touching the reigning MVP up for four runs over six innings pitched on Tuesday.

Ohtani had to run off third base to go get his glove and hat before he took the mound, delaying the game while he warmed up – a sight that is simply not seen in the game any more.

First up for Toronto is 2017 World Series MVP George Springer…

Bottom 1st: Dodgers 0, Blue Jays 0

Shohei Ohtani did Ohtani-esqe things in his leadoff at-bat.

The 31-year-old slapped a single, wasting no time getting on base.

But a helluva play by Vladimir Guerrero Jr. to save a base hit from Will Smith and getting Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman out saved the Blue Jays from a quick deficit.

Ohtani will now take the mound in the bottom half of the inning coming up here.

Top 1st: Dodgers 0, Blue Jays 0

Dodgers’ shortstop Mookie Betts, up to bat now, collected two big RBIs in Game 6 when his team needed them the most.

His two-run single in the third inning was just his fourth hit of the World Series and the first runs driven in by the eight-time All-Star in the series.

Betts’ prolonged slump prompted Dodgers manager Dave Roberts to move him lower in the lineup in an effort to help his shortstop bust out of his slump.

After the game, Betts told the Fox broadcast that his wife’s encouragement and advice helped him stay ready for his big moment.

“I know it hasn’t been great for me. But this year hasn’t really been great,” Betts said. “I just want to be there to help the boys, and I came up in a big spot, and my wife tells me all the time, ‘Just stay in the moment. Just be ready for this next moment.’”

“She always tells me ‘You have to mentally be ready for it. I know a lot goes on, a lot goes on, but if you keep worrying about that, you won’t be prepared for right now,’” Betts continued.

“I was able to find a way to lock in, and I gotta be ready for tomorrow now.”

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