After Dodgers Win 18-Inning Thriller, Blue Jays Stage Comeback

What started as a bold plan to pitch to Shohei Ohtani turned into an 18-inning endurance test that left the Toronto Blue Jays with little choice but to stop the challenge against baseball’s biggest star.

By the end of Monday night’s marathon game, Ohtani had reached base a record nine times, including four straight intentional walks beginning in the ninth inning. The Los Angeles Dodgers ultimately pulled out a 6-5 win on Freddie Freeman’s walk-off home run in the 18th, taking a 2-1 lead in the World Series.

The shift in Toronto’s approach came after Ohtani went 4-for-4 early. He blasted two home runs and 2 doubles, one of which tied the game in the seventh. The Blue Jays manager, John Schneider, said, “The decision to walk him repeatedly was not the initial plan, but became a necessity.”

Despite the cautious approach, Toronto’s bullpen managed to hold firm until Freeman’s game-ending swing against reliever Brendon Little in the 18th.

The Blue Jays used nearly their entire roster in the loss, with only three pitchers left unused. Still, the team remained confident after the setback.

Schneider said, “The Dodgers did not win the World Series today; they won a game.” He expects his team to bounce back in Game 4, even though the status of outfielder George Springer remains uncertain after his possible injury.

On Tuesday night, though, the Blue Jays got their payback winning 6-2, evening the series to 2-2.

Then on Wednesday, the Jays snuck ahead, winning Game 5, 6-1.

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Article by Ed Middlecoff