Freddie Freeman etched his name deeper into postseason lore Monday night, crushing a leadoff home run in the bottom of the 18th inning to lift the Los Angeles Dodgers to a 6-5 victory over the Toronto Blue Jays in a World Series classic at Dodger Stadium.
The marathon contest — which lasted 6 hours and 39 minutes — matched the longest game by innings in postseason history. The only other World Series game to reach 18 innings was also played in Los Angeles, Game 3 of the 2018 Series, when Freeman’s current teammate Max Muncy ended it with a walk-off homer against the Boston Red Sox.
Freeman’s 406-foot drive to straightaway center off left-hander Brendon Little sent the Dodger Stadium crowd into a frenzy and gave the defending champions a 2-1 lead in the best-of-seven series. The Dodgers now have a chance to clinch the championship at home — something the franchise hasn’t done since 1963.
“It’s what you dream about,” Freeman said, grinning as he was mobbed by teammates at home plate. “You’re just trying to find a way to win. Everyone in that dugout gave everything they had tonight.”
It was Freeman’s second walk-off homer in as many years on the World Series stage. Last October, he hit the first game-ending grand slam in Series history to win Game 1 against the New York Yankees.
While Freeman provided the final blow, Shohei Ohtani delivered another record-setting performance earlier in the night. The two-way superstar homered twice — both towering blasts to right-center — becoming the first player in World Series history to homer in three consecutive games while also drawing four walks in a single Series contest.
Ohtani’s second homer, a two-run shot in the fifth inning, tied the game 4-4 and continued his torrid postseason run. “He just keeps doing things that don’t seem possible,” said Dodgers manager Dave Roberts. “When you think you’ve seen it all, he does something new.”
Toronto fought valiantly in one of the most grueling postseason games in recent memory. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. went 3-for-8 with two RBIs, including a solo homer that briefly gave the Blue Jays a 5-4 lead in the 11th inning. But the Dodgers answered in the bottom half when Mookie Betts lined an RBI single to tie it once more.
From there, the bullpens took over. Both teams exhausted their relief corps, with a combined 18 pitchers used and 558 total pitches thrown.
With the Dodgers down to their final arm, rookie right-hander Will Klein delivered a performance for the ages. Tasked with preserving a tie deep into extra innings, Klein threw a career-high 72 pitches over four shutout frames, allowing just one hit and striking out five.
“Will Klein doesn’t get enough credit,” Freeman said. “We don’t win that game without him. He saved us tonight.”
The win was Klein’s first ever in the postseason — and the biggest of his young career.
The Dodgers now hold a 2-1 advantage and can clinch a repeat championship by winning the next two games at home. Game 4 is set for Tuesday night, with right-hander Bobby Miller expected to start for Los Angeles against Toronto ace Kevin Gausman.
If Game 3 was any indication, baseball fans might be in for more drama.
“This was a heavyweight fight,” Roberts said. “Two great teams throwing everything at each other. But in the end, Freddie did what Freddie does — he found a way to end it.”
Game 3 won’t just be remembered for its length — it will go down as one of the most unforgettable contests in World Series history.
