Jays still trail Dodgers 3-1 as World Series Game 6 moves into 8th inning

impost 'means so much' to the Jays, Bichette says forward of biz 6

Fans gather at Rogers Centre in Toronto ahead of Game 6 of baseball’s World Series on Friday.

Jays focused on meeting the moment against Yamamoto’s pitching in Game 6, Bichette says

Aerial (drone) images outside Rogers Centre early afternoon ahead of Game 6 of the World Series on Friday in Toronto.

Valddy ‘is the face’ of the Jays: Teoscar Hernández

After being kept quiet for most of the game, this Rogers Centre crowd is as loud as it’s been, sensing a World Series comeback following Springer’s single and Guerrero’s walk.

The Dodgers closer is entering in the eighth inning and manager Dave Roberts is hoping he can get six outs to finish the job.

Sasaki, who spurned the Blue Jays in free agency over the off-season, is L.A.’s most trusted reliever.

But even if he gets the job done here, a high pitch count could leave him compromised, if not unavailable, for a potential Game 7 tomorrow.

Varland retired the first batter he saw and the Jays made a pitching change — and that's when the trouble started.

Reliever Mason Fluharty gave up a double to Ohtani. The Jays then intentionally walked Smith to put two on base.

Fluharty managed to record an out, and Seranthony Domínguez came in to try to shut things down.

With two out, Domínguez loaded the bases with a walk. But he fanned Teoscar Hernández to get the Jays out of the jam.

They bent, but didn't break.

In Game 6 of the 1993 World Series at Rogers Centre (then Skydome), the Blue Jays trailed the Philadelphia Phillies 6-5 entering the bottom of the ninth.

Then, Carter touched ’em all.

The Jays are down two here in the eighth, but this game could provide plenty of drama yet.

The Dodgers brought in reliever Justin Wrobleski to pitch their half of the seventh. He got two out, then gave up a double to Clement. Giménez fought valiantly through eight pitches, but struck out to end the inning.

Hard-throwing Jays reliever Louis Varland got three quick outs in the top half of the inning.

Well, this wasn’t the best-case scenario, but the Blue Jays won’t be upset to be down just two runs as they get into this struggling Dodgers bullpen.

Remember: the Jays led MLB with 49 comebacks during the regular season, and have continued that trend into the playoffs.

This is the type of situation in which they thrive.

All three of the Dodgers’ hits through six innings came in the third, when they put up three runs.

The Blue Jays, on the other hand, have spread out five knocks across six frames, but have just one run to show for it.

A Jays victory will send thousands of fans into the downtown core.

Would superfan Kiun Kim, who has been watching the game at Nathan Phillips Square, join them or just head home?

“No, no, no, not at all. I’m walking through the city,” he said. “I want to celebrate with the whole city.”

And how long would this celebration last?

“Until it dies out. Who knows? Until tomorrow morning.”

But Jan Novak already has it planned out. He will head to the Rogers Centre area and stay put “until the sunrise.”

It could also be an all-nighter for Matthew Wark, who said he plans to chill with the crowd.

“Whatever they’re doing, I’m doing,” he said.

And, again, for how long?

“Until they stop.”

Yamamoto got two outs, before allowing a double to Guerrero. That brought Bichette up, who Yamamoto walked to put two on. But Varsho struck out and the Jays left two stranded.

The good news: He’s on pace to throw 135 pitches over nine innings, which would stretch the outer limits of what modern managers allow from their starters.

The bad news: It’s Game 6 of the World Series and Yamamoto looks sharp. Manager Dave Roberts might just let him go the distance if he keeps putting up zeroes.

All told, the Jays need to run that pitch count up — and fast.

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