TORONTO — It was a game that started on Saturday and ended on Sunday. World Series The competition is so filled with rare, historical and dramatic things that it cannot be limited to just one day.
At 11 innings, it was the longest Game 7 this century and the longest in more than a century. It was the first Game 7 in which a ninth-inning home run tied the game, and the first Game in which there were two video reviews that did not allow the go-ahead run.
“This is one of the greatest games I've ever been a part of,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said after his team defeated the Toronto Blue Jays 5-4. this is the second World Series in a row and will cap the longest season in franchise history, which began in Japan and ended in Canada.
Victory made Dodgers the first team to win back-to-back titles in 25 years, and with this championship, Roberts' third, he entered the Hall of Fame Tommy Lasorda to become the second most decorated Dodger manager of all time. He now trails only Walter Alston, another Hall of Famer, who won four World Series with his team.
Roberts, however, won his three titles in six seasons, something no Dodger captain had ever done.
“It's hard to come to terms with it,” said Roberts, whose jersey from Saturday's game is on its way to Cooperstown, joining the cap requested by the Hall of Fame. after winning the World Series last year.
“I'm just thrilled and very proud of our team, our guys, the way we fought. We did something that hasn't been done in decades. There were so many pressure points and how this game could have turned around and we just kept fighting and the guys stepped up.”
The manager did the same.
Every move Roberts made worked, every button he pressed was right. Miguel Rojasstarting for the second time in nearly a month, saved the season with a game-clinching home run in the top of the ninth, while Andy Pages, brought in for defensive purposes in the bottom of the inning, drove home Ernie Clements at the wall with the bases loaded to end the threat.
At 11th he had Yoshinobu Yamamoto walk Addison Barger for the winning run on base. But that led to a game-ending double play three innings later.
“Kudos to him, man. Every move he made this postseason was incredible,” he said. Tyler Glasnowone of four starting pitchers Roberts used as a replacement on Saturday. And he had a fifth Clayton Kershawwarm-up when the game is over.
Added Dodgers co-owner Magic Johnson: “He coached tonight. It was a great game on his part. He proved what a great coach he is. He's a Hall of Famer.”
Roberts asked Yamamoto, who pitched six innings Friday. win game 6to throw another 2 2/3 innings in Game 7. It worked; Yamamoto also won this game.
“What Yoshi did tonight is unprecedented in modern baseball,” said Roberts, who entered the postgame interview room wearing ski goggles and dripping champagne. “It comes down to just trusting your players. It's nice when you can look through the roster and see 26 guys that you believe in and know that at some point their number will be called.”
And Roberts needed all 26 guys. Although Dodgers players wore T-shirts with the slogan “We Rule October” as they set up a makeshift stage in Rogers Center center field to celebrate their victory early Sunday morning, October was only part of it. Their year began in Tokyo in March and ended in Toronto in November, making it the first major league season to begin and end outside the United States.
“We've really extended the season,” said a grinning Max Muncy, whose eighth-inning homer started the Dodgers' comeback from a team-high 179 runs.th game in 226 days.
“Think about all the miles we've driven this year,” Roberts said. “We never wavered. It's a long season and we stuck it out and we're the last team standing.”
That, too, goes to Roberts, who made the playoffs in each of his 10 seasons and went to the World Series five times, second only to Alston among Dodger managers. His regular season winning percentage (.621) is the best in franchise history among managers with more than three seasons on the job. And he expects to continue adding to those records.
“We put together something special,” said Roberts, who celebrated the victory with his family on the field afterward. “I'm proud of the players for the fans, the scouts, the development of players and everything else. What we've done in this period of time is just remarkable.
“I think I'll let the experts and all the fans debate whether it's a dynasty or not. But I'm very happy with where we are.”
On Sunday morning, Glasnow, who missed the playoffs last season with an elbow injury, was also very happy with his situation.
“Being a part of the World Series is crazy,” he said, standing near the infield as blue and gold confetti rained down. “It's something you dream about as a kid. I'm so lucky to make it happen. This group of guys, I'm so close with everyone. There's so many good people on this team. It's just a perfect group of guys.”
The ideal manager.
Highlights from the Dodgers' 5-4, 11-inning victory over the Blue Jays in Game 7 of the World Series.
