Freeman, Dodgers win Game 3 against Toronto, take MLB World Series lead

In Game 3 of the Major League Baseball (MLB) World Series, the Los Angeles Dodgers defeated the Toronto Blue Jays 6-5 on Monday with Freddie Freeman’s 18th inning home run and Shohei Ohtani’s two home runs.

The Dodgers opened the series with a 2-1 lead in Game 1 at Toronto, with Teoscar Hernandez hitting a home run, while Ohtani added two doubles, four of which were intentional, and two of Ohtani’s all-time home runs.

The 18-inning game matched the longest World Series game ever against the Boston Red Sox, which was also played in Los Angeles in 2018. The second-longest World Series game ever, lasting 6 hours, 39 minutes, was played on Monday.

In Los Angeles, Ohtani and Toronto right-hander Shane Bieber square off in Game 4.

Los Angeles right-hander Will Klein (1-0), who gave up one hit with five strikeouts over four scoreless innings, was Freeman’s leadoff home run in the 18th inning against left-hander Brendon Little (0-2).

In his last two home playoff games, Ohtani has five home runs and three RBIs in the third and seventh inning. As Los Angeles used a World Series-record 10 pitchers, including left-hander Clayton Kershaw for one out of a bases-loaded jam in the 12th inning, Edgardo Henriquez and Klein combined to pitch six scoreless innings.

The Blue Jays have lost their previous games after allowing 11 runs in Game 1 at home. Alejandro Kirk hit a home run. Eric Lauer, a left-hander with 4 2/3 scoreless innings for Toronto, pitched four innings with no runs in relief.

Hernandez hit his fifth home run of the postseason to give the Dodgers a 1-0 lead in the second inning. With a home run down the right field line in the third inning, Ohtani gave the Dodgers a 2-0 lead.

For a 4-2 lead, the Blue Jays extended their lead with a four-run fourth that included Andres Gimenez’ sacrifice fly and Kirk’s three-run home run.

On a one-out RBI double from Ohtani and a two-out RBI single by Freeman just inside first base, the Dodgers were at 4-4 in the fifth inning.

On a two-out single from Guerrero off right-hander Blake Treinen and an RBI single from Bichette, the Blue Jays jumped out 5-4 in the seventh inning after Toronto’s George Springer missed out with a broken arm.

In the seventh inning, Ohtani tied the score with 5-5 thanks to his fifth home run in his previous two playoff starts in Los Angeles, this one coming from right-hander Seranthony Dominguez. Ohtani won the third World Series title and eighth overall.