Boston, MA
Dodgers best Blue Jays, 3-1, to force Game 7 of World Series
TORONTO (AP) — Yoshinobu Yamamoto beat Toronto for the second time in a week, slumping Mookie Betts hit a two-run single in a three-run third inning and the defending champion Los Angeles Dodgers held off the Blue Jays 3-1 on Friday night to force the World Series to a decisive Game 7.
Yamamoto was not quite as sharp as in his Game 2 four-hitter, the first World Series complete game in a decade. He lasted six innings and allowed only a third-inning RBI single by George Springer, who returned after missing two games with an injury to his right side.
Rookie relievers Justin Wrobleski and Roki Sasaki combined for six outs before starter Tyler Glasnow came out of the bullpen to escape a ninth-inning jam and rescue the Dodgers.
Glasnow needed only three pitches to do it. With runners on second and third, he got Ernie Clement to pop up his first delivery on the infield for the first out. Andrés Giménez then hit a line drive to left field that Kiké Hernández turned into a game-ending double play.
Hernández caught the ball on the run in shallow left-center and fired to second base, where Miguel Rojas made a tough pick of a one-hop throw to double off Addison Barger.
Max Scherzer will start Game 7 on Saturday night for the Blue Jays. He also started the last World Series Game 7, getting a no-decision when Washington won the 2019 title over Houston.
Glasnow had been lined up to potentially start for the Dodgers, seeking to become the first team to win consecutive titles since the New York Yankees won three straight from 1998-2000. Two-way star Shohei Ohtani also could be used as an opener.
Los Angeles kept alive its bid for a third title in six seasons and its hopes to be recognized as a dynasty.
Yamamoto, a 27-year-old right-hander in his second season with the Dodgers after winning three MVP awards in Japan, was coming off the first consecutive postseason complete games since 2001.
He allowed one run and five hits with six strikeouts and a walk, stranding two runners in the sixth when he struck out Daulton Varsho with a splitter on his 96th and final pitch. Yamamoto is 4-1 with a 1.56 ERA in five postseason starts and has a 1.20 ERA in his two Series outings.
Kevin Gausman lost to Yamamoto for the second time despite matching a Series record by striking out eight in the first three innings behind a dominant splitter.
Tommy Edman doubled with one out in the third for the Dodgers’ first hit. Ohtani was intentionally walked for the fifth time in the Series and Will Smith hit an RBI double off the left-field wall on a high splitter.
Freddie Freeman walked, bringing up Betts. The three-time World Series champion entered just 3 for 23 in the Series and had been dropped from second to third in the lineup for Game 5. He was moved down another slot to cleanup Friday, his lowest in the batting order since 2017.
Behind 1-2 in the count, Betts fouled off two pitches and laced Gausman’s third straight fastball between shortstop and third for a 3-0 lead. That ended an 0-for-13 slide with the bases loaded for the Dodgers that dated to the Division Series.
Seeking their first World Series title since 1993, the Blue Jays wore powder blue uniforms at home for the first time since September after getting wins with them in Games 4 and 5 in LA.
Toronto scored when Barger doubled to start the third and scored on Springer’s two-out single.
Gausman gave up three runs and six hits in six innings, getting 15 swings and misses with his splitter.
Sasaki, a starter turned reliever as the Dodgers tried to shore up their bullpen, escaped a two-on, one-out jam in the eighth by retiring Bo Bichette on a foul out and Varsho on a groundout.
Boston, MA
What a World Cup ‘fan zone’ is and what Boston fans can expect in 2026
FIFA World Cup host cities lay out security plans ahead of matches
Host cities ramp up security and anti-human trafficking efforts ahead of FIFA World Cup matches across the U.S.
The FIFA World Cup is coming to Massachusetts, and when it comes to having a place for people to hang out together, there will be a free fan zone where everyone can celebrate the big event.
Seven World Cup matches will take place at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, MA this summer, and the first one is right around the corner, to be played on June 13, with Scotland taking on Haiti.
Fan Zones are a public space to watch the game for people who don’t have tickets to the actual game. Held in public places, they broadcast the mach on giant screens to offer an immersive experience to watch the game, according to FIFA>
“At the heart of FIFA Fan Festival Boston, (a) Cultural Showcase will ignite the stage with a vibrant celebration of the spirit, creativity, and cultural heartbeat of Boston and communities across the Commonwealth of Massachusetts,” FIFA said.
Where will the fan zone be located when the World Cup games start in just 11 days?
Where is the World Cup fan zone going to be in Massachusetts?
The official FIFA Fan Festival for the 2026 World Cup in Boston will be located at Boston City Hall Plaza at 1 City Hall Sq. Boston, MA.
“The festival will run daily from June 12 through June 27, offering live match broadcasts, cultural showcases, food vendors, and entertainment,” according to FIFA.
The fan zone will open between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. and will stay open until after dark, between 8:30 p.m. and 12:30 a.m. according to reports.
Activities at the fan zone
Here are some of the offerings at the fan zone in Boston, according to the FIFA website:
- Live broadcasts: Giant outdoor screens that broadcast tournament matches in high-definition.
- Entertainment & music: Live concerts, DJ sets, and performances celebrating global culture.
- Interactive activations: Skills challenges, mini-pitches, inflatable games, and sponsor booths.
- Food & merch: International food stalls, local beverage offerings, and official tournament merchandise.
How to go to the fan zone
While the game is free, you do need to register in advance.
“You can select which days and matches you plan to attend through the FIFA World Cup Boston 2026 website or the Meet Boston events page. Up to six people can register on a single application,” the World Cup Boston website says.
Boston, MA
Who Will Form the Boston Bruins’ Future Core?
Boston, MA
Updating Red Sox’s Playoff Chances: Numbers Never Lie | NESN
So you’re saying there’s a chance? Despite an abysmal start to the 2026 season, the Boston Red Sox remain in the mix for a playoff spot. At least according to FanGraphs, who gives the club a 27.1% chance of reaching the postseason.
Boston’s likely path to October means winning the wild card. FanGraphs gives the Red Sox a 26.1% chance of winning an American League wild card. The team currently sits threes games back of the third and final wild card, despite a record of 25-33.
Don’t look for a division title this year in Beantown. FanGraphs gives the Red Sox a 1% chance of winning the AL East. Which makes sense, since the team currently sits in last place, 11.5 games behind the first-place Tampa Bay Rays.
But SI’s Tom Verducci and Will Laws thinks Boston has a much tougher chance of making the playoffs. In their deep dive of the postseason, the pair came up with what they call the “Line of Doom.” According to their research, a team that starts “no better than 23–31 and your season is almost over only one-third of the way through the schedule.” Here’s why.
“In the wild card era (since 1995), only one team made the postseason starting with less than 22 wins in the first 54 games, the 2005 Astros (20–34). Of the 231 teams to start 23–31 or worse, only seven made the playoffs—once every 33 times,” Verducci and Laws note.
“Since the postseason field expanded in 2022, 31 teams began 23–31 or worse. Only one, the 2024 Mets (22–32), made the playoffs. That leaves such slow starters with a 1 in 31 chance—virtually the same as the larger sample size,” the pair add.
“The fact is one-third of the season does a good job separating pretenders from contenders. And as the calendar flips to June, understand that the playoff spots won’t change very much. In the four seasons with 12 playoff spots up for grabs, teams in playoff position when May ended kept a playoff spot 73% of the time—35 of 48 teams,” Verducci and Laws conclude.
So what does this have to do with the Red Sox, you ask? It’s Boston’s record after 54 games: 23-31. The “Line of Doom.”
More MLB: Red Sox Legend Backs ‘Worried’ John Henry
-
Politics1 minute agoSpencer Pratt surges to runoff in LA mayor’s race after angry voters send message to Karen Bass
-
Health6 minutes agoOne extra serving of processed meat a day linked to higher cancer risk
-
Sports13 minutes agoAJ Brown trade outcome: Dianna Russini paid a heavy price while Mike Vrabel emerged unscathed
-
Technology16 minutes agoCould your Samsung phone replace your passport?
-
Business21 minutes agoRent-hike ban to protect fire victims ends despite gouging concerns
-
Entertainment28 minutes agoTwo of music’s most powerful executives maxed out donations to Spencer Pratt
-
Lifestyle31 minutes agoVintage-obsessed millennial parents are driving L.A.’s booming kids’ clothing resale market
-
Politics36 minutes agoEarly returns indicate L.A. County voters have doubts about healthcare sales tax measure