In a World Series that will be remembered for its exhilarating twists and turns, the Los Angeles Dodgers emerged victorious against the Toronto Blue Jays with a thrilling 5-4 win on Saturday night. This game marked a historic moment as Will Smith hit the first-ever extra-inning homer in a winner-take-all championship game, while teammate Miguel Rojas made waves by hitting a tying home run in the ninth inning of Game 7. With this victory, the Dodgers became the first team to win back-to-back titles in 25 years.
“You dream of those moments,” Smith remarked after the intense 4-hour, 7-minute game. “I’ll remember that for forever.” The dramatic nature of Game 7 saw the Blue Jays take an early lead, going up 3-0 thanks to Bo Bichette’s homer off the talented Shohei Ohtani. However, the Dodgers fought back, with Max Muncy hitting a solo homer in the eighth inning off rookie pitcher Trey Yesavage, narrowing the score to 4-3.
Just two outs away from their first championship since 1993, Toronto was stunned when Rojas, who had been brought into the lineup in Game 6 to energize the team, hit a full-count slider from Jeff Hoffman to tie the game. Rojas hadn’t homered since September 19, but he had a premonition of greatness. “I had a conversation with my wife,” he said. “She told me something big was waiting for me.”
The World Series MVP, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, showcased his skills by escaping a bases-loaded situation in the bottom of the ninth, while Toronto's reliever Seranthony Domínguez successfully stranded three Dodgers runners in the tenth. However, it was Will Smith's decisive moment in the 11th inning that sent the Dodgers' fans into a frenzy. He launched a 2-0 pitch from Shane Bieber into the left field bullpen, giving the Dodgers their first lead of the night.
“He hung a slider,” Smith explained. “I banged it.” With that swing, the tension only heightened as the Blue Jays rallied again in the bottom half of the inning. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. doubled to lead off, but the Dodgers' defense held strong. Mookie Betts made a crucial play, starting a title-winning 6-6-3 double play, marking only the second time in history a double play ended a World Series.
This epic Game 7 was not just another chapter in baseball history; it was the sixth winner-take-all Series game to go into extra innings. It tied with the Marlins’ 3-2 win over the Indians in 1997 for the second-longest Game 7, trailing only the 1924 game that saw the Washington Senators defeat the New York Giants in 12 innings. The Dodgers' win also solidified their position as a dynasty of the 2020s, having claimed their ninth championship and third in six years.
Manager Dave Roberts, who has led the Dodgers since 2016, strengthened his Hall of Fame candidacy with this remarkable achievement. “To do what we’ve done in this span of time is pretty remarkable,” Roberts stated. “I guess let the pundits and all the fans talk about if it’s a dynasty or not.”
Yamamoto, who pitched effectively after throwing 96 pitches in Game 6, finished the postseason with a 5-1 record and a 1.45 ERA. He admitted to feeling unsure before the game but found his rhythm as he warmed up. “As I started getting warmed up, I started making a little bit of an adjustment, and then I started thinking I can go in and do my job,” he reflected.
This World Series was filled with record-breaking moments, including the first pinch-hit grand slam in history and the first complete game in a decade. Noteworthy performances included Shohei Ohtani reaching base nine times in an 18-inning Game 3 and Freddie Freeman becoming the first player to hit two walk-off homers in a single World Series.
As the Dodgers celebrated their victory amidst silver confetti, the Blue Jays were left to ponder the “what-ifs” of their near-championship run. “I’ve been crying for like probably an hour,” said Ernie Clement, showcasing the emotional toll of the game. Meanwhile, Freeman was already looking ahead, mentioning the legacy of the Yankees as a benchmark for success. “The Yankees are three-time back-to-back, so we get to use that same narrative next year,” he mused.
With this latest victory, the Dodgers have effectively positioned themselves as a formidable force in baseball, leaving fans excited for what's to come in the 2026 season and beyond.
