Ohtani's Historic Performance Leads Dodgers to 18-Inning World Series Victory

In a marathon 18-inning Game 3 of the World Series, the Los Angeles Dodgers edged out the Toronto Blue Jays 6-5, taking a 2-1 lead in the series. Shohei Ohtani delivered a historic performance, reaching base nine times—a postseason record—including four extra-base hits and four intentional walks.

Ohtani's offensive onslaught began with a leadoff double off Toronto's Max Scherzer, followed by a solo home run in the third inning. He added another double in the fifth and a game-tying homer in the seventh. Facing Ohtani's dominance, Blue Jays manager John Schneider opted to intentionally walk him four times in extra innings, a strategy that had not been employed so aggressively in recent postseason history.

Despite Ohtani's unprecedented performance, the game remained deadlocked until the bottom of the 18th inning, when Freddie Freeman hit a walk-off home run to secure the Dodgers' victory. This game matched the longest in World Series history, both in terms of innings and duration.

Ohtani's nine times on base set a new postseason record, surpassing the previous mark of seven. His four extra-base hits tied a World Series record, making him only the second player to achieve this feat since Frank Isbell in 1906. The Blue Jays' decision to intentionally walk Ohtani four times underscores the challenge he presents to opposing teams.

The Dodgers will look to build on their momentum in Game 4, with Ohtani slated to start as pitcher. The Blue Jays, meanwhile, will need to reassess their approach to containing Ohtani's impact both at the plate and on the mound.