The Historic 18-Inning Marathon: Dodgers Triumph in World Series Game 3
In the depths of a Monday night that stretched into Tuesday morning, Freddie Freeman awakened the sleeping giant within him to deliver a moment of baseball magic. With one swing in the bottom of the 18th inning, Freeman’s solo home run sealed a grueling 6-5 victory for the Los Angeles Dodgers over the Toronto Blue Jays in Game 3 of the World Series. This historic blast etched Freeman’s name in the record books as the first player ever to hit multiple walk-off home runs in World Series history, following his similar heroics in Game 1 against the Yankees last year. The marathon contest tied the record for the longest game in World Series history, testing the endurance and will of both teams in a battle that refused to end until Freeman’s decisive strike.
The epic 18-inning affair could have concluded much earlier, with multiple missed opportunities haunting both teams. The Dodgers had perhaps their best chance in the bottom of the 13th, when Freeman came to bat with the bases loaded and crushed the ball deep, only to have it tracked down by a Blue Jays outfielder in a moment of collective heartbreak for Los Angeles fans. Toronto, for their part, made several bold baserunning gambles that backfired, thanks to stellar defensive plays from Tommy Edman and Teoscar Hernandez. These moments of “almost” victory only added to the mounting tension as the game stretched deeper into the night, with neither team willing to surrender in a contest that had become as much about mental fortitude as physical skill.
The extraordinary performance of Shohei Ohtani stands as the foundation upon which this game was built. The Japanese superstar delivered a night for the ages, going 4-for-4 with two towering home runs while reaching base safely nine times—setting a new World Series record in the process. His second home run, a monster shot in the bottom of the seventh off Seranthony Dominguez, dramatically tied the game and ultimately forced the extra innings that would follow. In a remarkable display of athletic versatility, Ohtani was scheduled to take the mound as starting pitcher for Game 4 less than 24 hours after this marathon ended. “I want to go to sleep as soon as possible so I can get ready,” Ohtani told FOX’s Tom Verducci through his interpreter, highlighting the superhuman demands being placed on baseball’s most complete player.
Behind the headlining performances, unsung heroes emerged to carry the Dodgers through the extended contest. Dodgers reliever Will Klein delivered a herculean effort from the bullpen, pitching four scoreless innings while striking out five batters. His 72-pitch performance was second only to starter Tyler Glasnow for the night, demonstrating remarkable stamina and poise under immense pressure. Teoscar Hernandez also played a crucial role, launching a solo home run off Blue Jays veteran starter Max Scherzer in the second inning to give the Dodgers their first run. Scherzer, despite giving up two early home runs, settled in admirably, allowing three earned runs on five hits through 4.1 innings before handing the game to the bullpen for what would become a historically long night of relief pitching.
The game featured multiple momentum shifts that kept fans on the edge of their seats. Toronto seized control in the fourth inning when catcher Alejandro Kirk blasted a three-run home run off Glasnow, scoring Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Bo Bichette. Andres Gimenez later added another run with a sacrifice fly that brought Addison Barger home. The Dodgers responded with an Ohtani RBI double and a Freeman RBI single to tie the game in the fifth, only to see Bichette single home Guerrero to restore Toronto’s lead. This back-and-forth battle created the foundation for the extra-inning drama that would follow, as neither team could maintain a decisive advantage in regulation play, setting the stage for Freeman’s eventual heroics in the 18th.
As the dust settles on this historic contest, both teams face the challenge of quickly regrouping for Game 4, scheduled for Tuesday night at 8 p.m. ET on FOX. With Ohtani slated to pitch despite his marathon hitting performance, the Dodgers hope to carry their momentum forward while the Blue Jays must overcome the crushing disappointment of an 18-inning defeat. This game will be remembered not just for its length but for the determination displayed by both teams, the stellar individual performances, and Freeman’s game-ending blast that sent Dodger Stadium into euphoria after nearly six hours of tension-filled baseball. As the series continues, baseball fans around the world have been reminded why the World Series remains one of sports’ most compelling and unpredictable showcases of athletic excellence and human drama.
