LOS ANGELES, Oct 28 (Reuters) – Freddie Freeman hit a dramatic walk-off home run in the 18th inning to give the Los Angeles Dodgers a thrilling 6–5 win over the Toronto Blue Jays in Game Three of the World Series — a contest that will go down as one of the longest and most dramatic in Major League Baseball history.
The epic duel, lasting nearly six hours and 40 minutes, tied the record for the longest World Series game ever played by innings, matching the 18-inning battle between the Dodgers and the Boston Red Sox in 2018.
“It’s one of the greatest World Series games of all time,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said afterward. “I’m spent emotionally … fortunately for the Dodgers, we’ve got Freddie Freeman on our team.”
Freeman makes World Series history
Freeman’s towering homer off reliever Brendon Little electrified the Dodger Stadium crowd and sealed a game that tested the limits of endurance for both teams. The Dodgers’ star first baseman also became the first player in MLB history to hit multiple walk-off home runs in World Series play.
Freeman had achieved a similar feat last season with a walk-off grand slam against the New York Yankees. His latest performance places him among an elite group of only four players to record multiple postseason walk-off homers.
“I’m just trying to help the team win,” Freeman said after the game. “To do it here, in front of our fans, in a game like this — it’s something special.”
Ohtani dazzles with record-setting performance
Shohei Ohtani continued his remarkable postseason run, reaching base nine times — a new Major League Baseball postseason record. The Japanese two-way superstar hit two home runs, two doubles, and drew five walks, four of them intentional, as the Blue Jays’ pitchers struggled to contain him.
“I get it. He’s the best player on the planet,” Roberts said, smiling. Ohtani, who is scheduled to pitch in Game Four on Tuesday, tied Corey Seager’s Dodgers record of eight home runs in a single postseason.
“What matters is that we won,” Ohtani said after the marathon victory. “I just want to get some sleep and get ready for tomorrow.”
Rookie pitcher seals the win
Rookie right-hander Will Klein became an unlikely hero, pitching four shutout innings in relief to earn the win. He was the Dodgers’ 10th pitcher of the night, closing the door on multiple Blue Jays scoring threats in the extra innings.
“I love the way we played,” Blue Jays manager John Schneider said. “Every single player gave everything. There’s a lot to digest, but I couldn’t be prouder of the effort.”
Despite the loss, Toronto matched Los Angeles pitch-for-pitch through 17 innings before Freeman’s decisive swing. The Blue Jays’ bullpen logged more than 300 pitches in the game — a testament to the grueling nature of the contest.
A World Series classic for the ages
As the clock neared midnight, the sold-out crowd at Dodger Stadium erupted in celebration. Players from both sides embraced on the field, exhausted but aware they had been part of baseball history.
“Guys will do anything to win a championship,” Roberts said. “They’re laying it all out there, and that’s what makes nights like this unforgettable.”
The victory gives the Dodgers a 2–1 lead in the best-of-seven World Series. Game Four will see Ohtani take the mound as Los Angeles looks to push closer to its second title in three years.
This news was originally published by Reuters.