Toronto’s veteran starter Max Scherzer exited the fifth inning with a 3-1 lead, and the Dodgers rebounded in the sixth inning when Tommy Edman’s sacrifice fly and Mookie Betts’ hit reduced the deficit to one run.
The Blue Jays found themselves in position when Ernie Clement’s steal put Jimenez in position for a double to right field.
As is common in Game 7 of the World Series, both teams frequently changed pitching, including switching starting pitchers from the beginning of the series.
Trey Yesavizi, who started Games 1 and 5 in Toronto, gave up Muncy’s solo shot in the eighth, and Rojas tied the game with a last-ditch effort off Jeff Hoffman.
Toronto loaded the bases in the bottom of the 9th inning but failed to score a run, and the Dodgers went on the offensive in the 10th inning as expected, but both sides went on the offensive.
It was only the sixth time in history that Game 7 of a World Series went into extra innings, and Smith’s home run put the Dodgers within reach of the title.
The Blue Jays came tantalizingly close to getting to the 12th inning or even getting a walk-off victory, but pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto, who won Games 2 and 6 for the Dodgers, earned another win in relief and was named the Series’ Most Valuable Player.
