TORONTO (AP) — Yoshinobu Yamamoto beat Toronto for the second time in a week, slumping Mookie Betts hit a two-run single in a three-run third inning and the defending champion Los Angeles Dodgers held off the Blue Jays 3-1 to force the World Series to a decisive Game 7. Yamamoto was not quite as sharp as in his Game 2 four-hitter. He lasted six innings and allowed an RBI single in the third by George Springer, who returned after missing two games with an injury to his right side. Rookie relievers Justin Wrobleski and Roki Sasaki combined for six outs before starter Tyler Glasnow came out of the bullpen to escape a ninth-inning jam and rescue the Dodgers.
TORONTO (AP) — Shohei Ohtani might start Game 7 of the World Series on Saturday. Tyler Glasnow might pitch on back-to-back days. For Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts, the only certainty is that Yoshinobu Yamamoto won’t pitch. The Dodgers survived a wild ninth inning to hold off the Toronto Blue Jays 3-1 in Game 6, forcing the winner-take-all showdown Saturday night. Three-time Cy Young Award winner and former Dodger Max Scherzer is expected to start for the Blue Jays.
TORONTO (AP) — Max Scherzer is set to start a winner-take-all World Series Game 7 for the second time. His Toronto Blue Jays face the Los Angeles Dodgers on Saturday night. The Dodgers aim to become the first team to win consecutive titles since the Yankees' streak from 1998 to 2000. Tyler Glasnow is expected to start for Los Angeles, but Shohei Ohtani might also be an option as an opener. Scherzer, a three-time Cy Young Award winner, hopes to win his third World Series ring after previous titles with Washington and Texas. Toronto will play a World Series Game 7 for the first time and is looking for its third championship to go with back-to-back crowns in 1992 and '93.
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Texas quarterback Arch Manning is available to play for the No. 20 Longhorns against No. 9 Vanderbilt after clearing concussion protocol. Manning was not listed on Texas' injury report filed Friday night with the Southeastern Conference. He had been listed as questionable on Wednesday, but coach Steve Sarkisian said Manning was practicing and making “good progress” during the week. Manning was injured in Texas' 45-38 overtime win over Mississippi State when he led a 17-point fourth-quarter rally. Manning has passed for 1,795 yards and 15 touchdowns this season.
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Police are investigating a burglary at a home reportedly belonging to Oklahoma City Thunder's Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. The break-in occurred Thursday night while the NBA star was playing against the Washington Wizards. Nichols Hills police have not confirmed the homeowner's identity or what was stolen. Local news showed police at the scene. The suspects fled before officers arrived, and no arrests have been made. This incident mirrors a series of burglaries targeting professional athletes' homes across the U.S. Thieves often strike on game days when players are away. The NBA has urged teams to enhance home security measures.
TORONTO (AP) — With the Toronto Blue Jays trying to mount a ninth-inning rally, Addison Barger got doubled off second base to end Game 6 of the World Series. Barger says he was “being too aggressive,” looking to score the tying run in a 3-1 defeat against the Los Angeles Dodgers that sent the Series to a deciding Game 7 on Saturday. Barger initially broke toward third on Andrés Giménez's line drive to shallow left field. He says it was "kind of a bad read” and he was surprised Kiké Hernández was able to catch the ball on a fly and turn it into a game-ending double play.
TORONTO (AP) — George Springer hit an RBI single for the Blue Jays’ lone run in Game 6 of the World Series on Friday night, making an impact after missing two games with an injury to his right side in Toronto’s 3-1 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers. Leading off as the designated hitter, Springer went 2 for 4 and hit an RBI single in the third. He led off the eighth with a single but was stranded. The Blue Jays are one win from their first title since 1993. Before Game 6, Blue Jays manager John Schneider said Springer had “made significant progress in the last 48 hours.”
TORONTO (AP) — The split-finger fastball is making a comeback, with its usage in the postseason doubling from last year. World Series Game 6 starters Kevin Gausman and Yoshinobu Yamamoto have been leading the charge. Toronto used splitters a league-high 9.3% of the time during the regular season. Gausman has thrown his splitter 41.4% of the time in the postseason. The pitch was popularized by players like Bruce Sutter and Jack Morris, but its use declined due to injury concerns. Now, with advancements in pitch design, pitchers have found new ways to grip and use it effectively.
TORONTO (AP) — A new-look lineup for the Los Angeles Dodgers only produced four hits in Game 6, but three of them came in a three-run rally off Blue Jays starter Kevin Gausman. Tommy Edman hit a one-out double off Gausman in the third inning and scored on Will Smith’s two-out double into the left field corner. One batter later, Mookie Betts delivered the Dodgers’ biggest hit of the night, grounding a two-run single between third base and shortstop. The RBIs were his first of the World Series. Two-way star Shohei Ohtani had the only other hit, a double in the eighth.
AVONDALE, Ariz. (AP) — NASCAR Commissioner Steve Phelps says the organization is working hard to settle a federal antitrust lawsuit with 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports. The teams, owned by Michael Jordan, Denny Hamlin, and Bob Jenkins, are suing over charter agreements. Phelps spoke at Phoenix Raceway, emphasizing NASCAR's commitment to resolving the issue. Mediation efforts have failed, and the trial is set for December 1. Phelps defended NASCAR's charter system, highlighting its benefits and the France family's role in the sport's growth. He warned that the lawsuit threatens NASCAR's future.
MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL PLAYOFFS
Final L.A. Dodgers 3 Toronto 1
NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE
Final Colorado 4 Vegas 2
Final N-Y Islanders 3 Washington 1
Final Anaheim 5 Detroit 2
TOP-25 COLLEGE FOOTBALL
Final (25)Memphis 38 Rice 14