TORONTO — Will Smith hit a home run with two out in the 11th to send the Los Angeles Dodgers to their second straight World Series championship with a 5-4 Game 7 victory over the Toronto Blue Jays on Saturday night.
Smith’s second homer of the postseason came on a shot to left on a 2-0 slider from Shane Bieber (2-1).
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. led off the home 11th with a double against Yoshinobu Yamamoto (5-1), who started Game 6 on Friday. Guerrero took third on Isiah Kiner-Falefa’s sacrifice. Addison Barger walked. Alejandro Kirk grounded into a season-ending double play.
The Dodgers tied the game at 4 on the first homer of the postseason by Miguel Rojas on a Jeff Hoffman 3-2 slider with one out in the ninth.
In the home ninth, Blake Snell allowed a one-out single and a walk before Yamamoto came in to load the bases with a hit batter before getting a force at home and a fly out to force extra innings.
The Dodgers loaded the bases with one out in the 10th against Seranthony Dominguez but failed to score.
Max Muncy also homered for the Dodgers, who became the first repeat World Series winners since the 1998-2000 New York Yankees.
Toronto’s Ernie Clement had three hits to set a postseason record of 30. He extended his postseason hit streak to 13 games, a franchise record. George Springer added three hits.
Shohei Ohtani, L.A.’s Game 4 starter, allowed Springer’s leadoff single in the third. Springer took second on Nathan Lukes’ sacrifice and moved to third on a wild pitch to Guerrero, who was then walked intentionally. Bichette smashed a first-pitch slider to center for his first homer of the postseason and the Blue Jays jumped out to a 3-0 lead. Ohtani allowed three runs, five hits and two walks with three strikeouts in 2 1/3 innings.
Smith doubled high off the wall in left center against Max Scherzer to start the fourth and took third on Freddie Freeman’s single. Muncy walked with one out. Center fielder Daulton Varsho made a diving catch on Teoscar Hernandez’s sacrifice fly but Smith scored.
Scherzer allowed one run, four hits and one walk with three strikeouts in 4 1/3 innings.
Toronto’s Chris Bassitt walked Mookie Betts to start the sixth. Muncy singled and was out at second on Hernandez’s bouncer to the mound. Tommy Edman hit a sacrifice fly to center.
Clement led off the home sixth with a single, stole second and scored on Andres Gimenez’s double to center.
Toronto’s Trey Yesavage allowed Muncy’s third homer of the postseason with one out in the eighth on a 1-1 splitter.
