In a game that redefined endurance and elevated legends, Game 3 of the World Series was nothing short of a baseball epic — an 18-inning marathon stretching six hours and 39 minutes, culminating in a 6-5 walk-off victory for the Los Angeles Dodgers over the Toronto Blue Jays. The win gives L.A. a 2-1 lead in the series, but this was more than just a tally in the standings — it was a showcase of two drastically different, yet equally mythic performances.
Freeman Ends a War of Attrition With One Swing
Freddie Freeman played the role of closer in this cinematic drama, sending a towering home run into the night to end the longest game in World Series history by innings. His swing was a lifeline for the Dodgers, a final exclamation mark that broke a deadlock and lifted the weight of a weary bullpen that had shouldered the game inning after inning. While Freeman’s walk-off rightly earned its place in headlines, it was only the final act in a duel packed with improbable resilience and historic feats.
Ohtani’s Legendary Night Sets Postseason Records Aflame
Yet, as much as Freeman’s heroics defined the result, Shohei Ohtani defined the spectacle.
What Ohtani did wasn’t merely excellent — it was historic. In an age where dominance is measured by data, Ohtani delivered a stat line that glows with rarity: 4-for-4, four extra-base hits — two doubles and two home runs — and five walks, four of them intentional. Four. With the bases empty.
Only Albert Pujols had ever drawn such deep respect — or fear — from pitchers in a World Series setting. Now, Ohtani stands in that rarefied air, but alone in being intentionally walked multiple times under those conditions. He reached base safely seven times, setting a new MLB postseason record, and nine times total, tying the all-time record shared by Stan Hack, Johnny Burnett, and Max Carey.
His power, too, was undeniable. The two home runs marked his third multi-homer game of this postseason — a feat no one in MLB history had achieved in a single playoff run. He now sits tied for second all-time in single-postseason home runs with eight, joining a list of legends including Barry Bonds and Carlos Beltrán. Within Dodgers history, only Corey Seager has matched that output.
Will Klein and the Bullpen Rewrite the Blueprint
Meanwhile, the Dodgers’ bullpen, tasked with bridging a chasm of innings, deployed 10 pitchers — a World Series record. The final and perhaps most unlikely hero was Will Klein. A pitcher with a 5.16 career ERA, traded three times this year alone, Klein entered the crucible of October with little fanfare — and emerged with dominance. Four innings. One hit. Zero runs. Seventy-two pitches. Five strikeouts. A pitcher who had never thrown more than 40 pitches in an outing gave the Dodgers a historic lift.
Game 3 didn’t just tilt the series — it tilted the record books. And in a postseason already rich with storylines, this one added chapters that will be studied, argued over, and remembered for generations.
