Freddie Freeman's walk-off home run in the 18th inning sealed a thrilling 6-5 Dodgers victory over the Toronto Blue Jays, marking one of the longest games in World Series history. The solo shot propelled Los Angeles to a 2-1 series lead and capped off an epic contest that went on for six hours and 39 minutes.
Freeman downplayed the significance of his record-breaking homer, attributing it to a simple swing against a tough lefty pitcher. "I was just trying to get on base against a tough lefty," he said. "I got it to a 3-2 count and put a good swing on it." When asked about the sheer excitement of the moment, Freeman replied, "That's as good as it gets."
Game three's extraordinary length has been matched only by another 18-inning contest between the Red Sox and Dodgers in 2018. Monday's game saw an unprecedented 609 pitches thrown, 19 different pitchers used, 25 position players involved, and 37 runners left on base.
Shohei Ohtani played a pivotal role in the victory for the defending champions. The Japanese superstar hit two home runs and two doubles early in the game but was then intentionally walked four straight times by the Blue Jays to face Mookie Betts instead of his hot bat.
Ohtani reached base nine times, setting the postseason record and tying the all-time record with only three other batters (the last in 1942). His teammate Dodgers manager Dave Roberts called Ohtani "a freak" who is "just getting to be teammates with him is a great honor."
In their next matchup, Ohtani will take to the mound for Los Angeles against Toronto's Shane Bieber on Tuesday night. Having won both his pitching matchups this postseason, allowing just three earned runs over 12 innings, he is expected to continue his dominant form.
The Blue Jays manager John Schneider downplayed the loss, saying "The Dodgers didn't win a World Series today. They won a game." Despite facing adversity, Los Angeles remains one step away from claiming their third championship in four years.
Freeman downplayed the significance of his record-breaking homer, attributing it to a simple swing against a tough lefty pitcher. "I was just trying to get on base against a tough lefty," he said. "I got it to a 3-2 count and put a good swing on it." When asked about the sheer excitement of the moment, Freeman replied, "That's as good as it gets."
Game three's extraordinary length has been matched only by another 18-inning contest between the Red Sox and Dodgers in 2018. Monday's game saw an unprecedented 609 pitches thrown, 19 different pitchers used, 25 position players involved, and 37 runners left on base.
Shohei Ohtani played a pivotal role in the victory for the defending champions. The Japanese superstar hit two home runs and two doubles early in the game but was then intentionally walked four straight times by the Blue Jays to face Mookie Betts instead of his hot bat.
Ohtani reached base nine times, setting the postseason record and tying the all-time record with only three other batters (the last in 1942). His teammate Dodgers manager Dave Roberts called Ohtani "a freak" who is "just getting to be teammates with him is a great honor."
In their next matchup, Ohtani will take to the mound for Los Angeles against Toronto's Shane Bieber on Tuesday night. Having won both his pitching matchups this postseason, allowing just three earned runs over 12 innings, he is expected to continue his dominant form.
The Blue Jays manager John Schneider downplayed the loss, saying "The Dodgers didn't win a World Series today. They won a game." Despite facing adversity, Los Angeles remains one step away from claiming their third championship in four years.
i mean 18 innings is insane anyone thought it was gonna be that long lol? but seriously freeman just chillin on base and waiting for a pitch to hit it outta the park what a swing! 
shohei ohtani tho is literally unstoppable dude hitting 2 homers, 2 doubles and still managing to walk 4 times 
gotta respect his game. and that dave roberts saying he's like a freak is lowkey true 
the guy's on another level. anyway Dodgers are cruising towards that third title in 4 years 
can't wait for game 5!
. Six hours and 39 minutes? Are they trying to wear everyone out? And that last home run by Freeman? Just great. Because we needed another record-breaker to make the game even more epic in a bad way 
. I mean, can't these players just get on with it? And Ohtani's dominance is cool and all, but now he's gotta live up to this hype for the rest of the series 
is that even humanly possible? 
i drew a quick diagram to visualize how many pitches were thrown - imagine 609 tiny dots 
on a graph. it's wild to see how much pitching change happened, 19 different pitchers used 
. i wonder what would happen if the game went into extra innings... would the crowd go crazy? 
did you guys see shohei ohtani play? he's like a superhero on the field 
he reached base so many times it's crazy how can one guy do all that? 
and now he's gonna pitch against shane bieber on tuesday... this is gonna be epic 
HE'S LIKE A FREAK OF NATURE, MAN! 
SHANE BIEBER IS GOING TO HAVE TO BRING HIS A-GAME IF HE WANTS TO TAKE DOWN OHTANI TUESDAY NIGHT!!!! 
man... thinkin bout this walk-off homer by freeman... it's like the ultimate expression of determination & resilience. 18 innings, 609 pitches, 19 pitchers used... that's a gruelin' contest. and ohtani just crushin' it on both sides of the plate, reachin' base nine times... what does that say about our game? is it more than just individual talent or skill? is it about the collective energy, the team vibes? freeman just sayin he was tryin to get on base, but we see the impact he had. what's the value of a win like this in the grand scheme? 