The Los Angeles Dodgers walked 18 innings against the Toronto Blue Jays in World Series Game 3 to take 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
It started with a bang when superstar Shohei Ohtani hit 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 initially left him stranded.
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In the second inning, after a single by Bo Bichette, a 3-1 offering to Daulton Varsho that appeared outside the strike zone but was called as a strike caused Bichette to drift off the bag. All-Star catcher Will Smith pointed to warn Tyler Glasnow as he threw the ball to first to get the first out. Varsho later walked and Alejandro Kirk singled to put runners on the corners, instead of scoring a run with Bichette still on. LA got out of the inning and advanced to the bottom of the second.
In the bottom of the second inning, Teoscar Hernández unleashed a 105-mph solo shot that landed 450 feet away in the Dodgers’ bullpen and gave his team the lead.
In the bottom of the third inning, Ohtani got his hands on another Scherzer offer, this time going to the yard for his seventh of the postseason.
The fourth inning started with a walk for Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and was followed by an error by Tommy Edman, putting runners on the corners. With two on and one out later in the inning, Kirk got his second hit of the night, a 300-foot home run that gave his team the lead. Glasnow allowed back-to-back singles, and a sacrifice fly by Andres Gimenez pushed the score to 4-2.
After recording two outs in the fourth inning, Glasnow’s night was over when he was replaced by Anthony Banda to take the final of the fifth inning. Glasnow had five strikeouts, three walks and two earned runs before being pulled.
In the bottom of the fifth, after recording an out, Scherzer’s night was over. With a man on first and Ohtani on the board, Mason Fluharty started his night. Ohtani hit an RBI double (his third hit of the night) to cut the lead to one run.
Freddie Freeman blasted a two-out single down the side of first base to bring in Ohtani and tie the game at four runs apiece. It was his second hit in the World Series and second RBI of the postseason.
Things got more intense for both teams in the seventh inning. On the first pitch of the frame, Blue Jays star George Springer appeared to injure himself on a fly and had to leave the game. 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 in the top of the eighth inning, but allowed two baserunners and only one out. Right-handed phenom Roki Sasaki came into the game in pickle to save the day. He generated two ground outs to get out of the inning as the Dodgers headed toward the bottom of the frame. LA went down in order when Sasaki went back in the top of the ninth.
The young reliever generated a flyout, but walked the next batter. After a well-hit Daulton Varsho single snuck through Freddie Freeman’s glove despite having 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 grounder to reach the bottom of the ninth.
In the bottom of the ninth inning, Andy Pages hit a pop-up on the tenth pitch of his at-bat, and Ohtani was walked intentionally with no one on. Ohtani then tried to steal second base, but was caught stealing. Betts then popped out and the game went to overtime.
Emmet Sheehan came in for the 10th inning and retired Ernie Clement and struck out Gimenez. After a single by Ty France and a double by Nathan Lukes, Edman again showed off his illustrious arm and had a perfect throw to Will Smith at the plate, eliminating pinch runner Davis Schneider at the plate.
In the bottom of the 10th, Freeman was at the plate with a chance to win it, a situation in which he made history this time last year. However, he got out, Will Smith walked and Max Muncy went looking. Teoscar Hernández singled to get two for Edman, who popped out to reach the 11th.
Sheehan came back for the top of the 11th and forced Guerrero to fly out. He got the second out on a grounder that he fielded himself. Sheehan struck out the third out of the inning, and Game 3 of the World Series went to the bottom of the frame.
Kiké Hernández led off in the bottom of the eleventh, but struckout with a full count. Pages lined up and Ohtani was intentionally walked with Betts up to bat. Betts hit a well-hit single, but Freeman flew out and went to the 12th.
Sheehan returned for the 12th inning as future Hall of Famer Clayton Kershaw was warming up in the bullpen. Sheehan walked the first batter, but Freeman made a great play on the ball and caught a bunt for the first out. A groundball accounted for the second out, and after an intentional walk, a weakly hit ball to third base was cleverly fielded by Muncy who left his foot on the bag, but the runner arrived in time to load the bases.
Sheehan was removed from the game when Clayton Kershaw came in with the bases loaded and two outs.
Kershaw generated a full count ground ball to Tommy Edman, who made an impressive play by turning the ball to Freeman for the final out.
To kick off the bottom of the 12th, Smith struckout and Muncy flew out on a nifty play by Isiah Kiner-Falefa. Teoscar Hernández surfaced and the match went 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 series of triple-digit pitches. Henriquez pounded the next batter, but shortly thereafter generated a flyout to end the inning.
Tommy Edman came to bat in the bottom of the 13th inning and recorded a leadoff double. He had been on defense all night and did exactly what was needed of him at that moment. Miguel Roja’s pinch hit set up a sacrifice bunt to move Edman to third base. Alex Call batted for Pages and hit a pop-out. Ohtani and Betts were both walked intentionally, bringing Freeman to the plate and loading the bases. Freeman flew to the warning track.
For the 14th inning, Edman was sent to center field, Call went to left and Rojas went to second. Henriquez came back to 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 the ball out for No. 2. Henriquez then struckout to end the inning.
At the bottom of the frame, Smith led things, hitting a ball 100 yards… to the warning track. Then Muncy tattooed a ball that went wrong and later walked to get one on and one out for Teoscar Hernández. Hernández singled in and got two for Edman, who popped out. Miguel Rojas grounded out to lead off 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 by Rojas, he got on board an infield hit by Guerrero. Klein retired the last batter of the inning and Game 3 went to the bottom of the 15th.
Call grounded out to start the inning, and Ohtani was again walked intentionally. Betts flew out and Freeman went to the dish again with two off and one on. Freeman flew out on a well defended ball to push this game into the 16th.
To kick off the top of the 16th inning, Rojas picked up a nice ground ball to make a play for the first out, and the second batter hit a pop-up to Klein. The righthander struck out the last batter to send him into the bottom of the 16th, still tied at 5.
Smith struck out on Eric Lauer’s 61st pitch of the night to start at 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 nailed a comebacker to get the Dodgers to the bottom of the frame.
Edman led off the bottom of the 17th, while Brendon Little now pitched for the Blue Jays. Little struck out Edman and Rojas grounded out. Alex’s call got a single and Ohtani was at the plate and, though not intentionally, walked again. Betts popped out and the match went to the 18th.
Klein came back in the 18th to secure the first out with a lineout to Freeman. Klein walked the next batter and generated an extremely close double play, but upon closer examination the runner was initially safe. Klein walked another batter after stopping his check swing on a full count. Klein threw a wild pitch to advance the runners, but struck out the next batter, sending the Dodgers electric to the bottom of the frame.
Photo credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn images
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