TORONTO, Nov. 2 (BTVN) — The Los Angeles Dodgers are once again on top of the baseball world. With a dramatic 5–4 victory in 11 innings over the Toronto Blue Jays, the Dodgers captured their second straight World Series title Saturday night at Rogers Centre, becoming the first team in more than two decades to win back-to-back championships.
Most had counted out the Dodgers after a devastating Game 5 loss. But they came back to win it all. Catcher Will Smith delivered the go-ahead moment in the final match, crushing a solo home run in the top of the 11th inning to give Los Angeles a 5–4 lead.
“I was just trying to put a good swing on something,” Smith said. “It’s every kid’s dream. Game 7, extra innings, World Series on the line. To help bring another one home means everything.”
But the championship wasn’t secured until the bottom half of the inning, when Mookie Betts turned a sharp grounder into a game-ending double play setting off a wild celebration on the infield as the Dodgers poured out of the dugout.
Betts, who made the final play look effortless, said he was thinking only one thing when the ball was hit his way. “Get two,” Betts said. “We’ve practiced that a thousand times. When it hit my glove, I knew we had it. That was the moment.”
The series had all the drama baseball fans could ask for. Shohei Ohtani and Toronto slugger Vladimir Guerrero Jr. traded home runs throughout the week, every inning seemed to hang in the balance, and Game 7 was no different— a tense, back-and-forth battle that ended in classic October fashion.
Right-hander Yoshinobu Yamamoto was named World Series MVP after delivering two dominant starts, including seven innings of one-run ball in Game 7. He struck out nine and walked none before handing the game to the bullpen.
“This was the biggest game of my life,” Yamamoto said through an interpreter. “I just wanted to give my team a chance to win. To see how everyone battled. It was incredible. This is a dream come true.”
Manager Dave Roberts praised his team’s poise in the biggest moments. “That’s a championship ballclub,” Roberts said. “They’ve been tested, and they’ve delivered every single time. I couldn’t be prouder.”
The Dodgers are the first team since the early-2000s New York Yankees to repeat as champions. Thousands of Dodger fans made the trip to Toronto, their cheers echoing through Rogers Centre as players celebrated on the field.
“I flew from East L.A. just to see this,” said fan Maria Lopez, draped in a Dodgers flag. “It’s worth every mile. This team is pure magic.”
For Blue Jays fans, the loss was heartbreaking— a bitter end to a season of hope. “They just have too much firepower,” said Toronto fan Ryan Patel. “You can’t give that lineup an inch.”
In the Dodgers’ clubhouse, the celebration was loud and soaked in champagne. “We’ll enjoy this one,” Ohtani said with a smile, “but the goal now is three in a row.”
Back in Los Angeles, preparations for a massive championship parade were already underway within hours of the final out. City officials confirmed the parade will take place Monday morning, beginning at Dodger Stadium and winding through downtown.
Last year’s parade drew an estimated 1 million fans, and officials expect an even larger turnout this time. Street closures are planned across downtown, and the city is urging fans to use public transit.
“We’re bringing the party home,” Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass said in a statement. “This team represents the best of our city— resilience, talent, and unity. We can’t wait to celebrate with them again.”
For fans like longtime supporter Oscar Ramirez of Boyle Heights, the celebration can’t come soon enough. “I’ve got my jersey, my flag, and a day off work,” Ramirez said. “Back-to-back, you can’t miss that.”
Two titles in two years and this Dodgers team looks built for more.
