Freeman’s Walk-Off Homer Caps Ohtani’s Record Night in 18-Inning World Series Epic

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LOS ANGELES, CA — In a marathon that felt less like a baseball game and more like a test of human endurance, the Los Angeles Dodgers outlasted the Toronto Blue Jays 6-5 in a stunning 18-inning epic last night to seize a 2-1 lead in the World Series.

The game, which lasted 6 hours and 39 minutes, tied the record for the longest World Series contest ever played by innings and was ultimately decided by a familiar face in the clutch: Freddie Freeman.

History Repeats in the 18th

The final scene in this dramatic sequel to the 2018 World Series (which also featured an 18-inning Game 3 at Dodger Stadium) was written by the Dodgers’ veteran first baseman.

Walk-Off Encore: Leading off the bottom of the 18th, Freeman turned on a full-count sinker from Blue Jays reliever Brendon Little and crushed it 406 feet to center field, ending the baseball marathon with a walk-off solo home run. Freeman, who hit the first World Series walk-off grand slam last year, becomes the only player in history with multiple walk-off homers in the Fall Classic.
The Bullpen War: The game became a battle of attrition, with the two teams combining to use a World Series-record 19 pitchers and throwing 609 total pitches. Dodgers rookie Will Klein was the unsung hero, delivering four masterful, scoreless innings of relief, tossing 72 pitches—double his previous big-league high—to keep the game alive for Freeman’s heroics. Even Hall of Famer Clayton Kershaw came out of the bullpen to escape a bases-loaded jam in the 12th.

Ohtani’s Unprecedented Dominance

Despite the late-game drama, the night was primarily defined by Shohei Ohtani’s offensive spectacle, which will stand as one of the greatest individual hitting performances in postseason history:

Four Extra-Base Hits: Ohtani went 4-for-4 with two home runs and two doubles, tying a 119-year-old World Series record for four extra-base hits in a single game.
Tying the Game: His second home run, a massive blast in the seventh inning off Seranthony Domínguez, tied the score at 5-5.
Reaching Base Nine Times: Ohtani drew five consecutive walks after his four-hit barrage, becoming the first player in 83 years to reach base safely nine times in any Major League game, setting a new postseason record.

The Blue Jays, who received a three-run homer from Alejandro Kirk in the fourth inning, battled back from an early 2-0 deficit but ultimately could not solve the parade of Dodgers relievers.

The exhausted Dodgers, who will start Ohtani on the mound tonight in Game 4, now hold a 2-1 series lead, leaving the Blue Jays facing a massive challenge in an elimination game.