Dodgers’ World Series hero Will Smith describes team’s mindset during dramatic victory over Blue Jays
The panic meter was high in Los Angeles after the Dodgers fell into a 3-2 World Series deficit at home, but that wasn’t the case in LA’s clubhouse.
The Dodgers had to fly more than 2,000 miles to Toronto, whose Blue Jays fan base was starving for its first Fall Classic victory in 32 years, knowing one loss would end their season.
For the first time all year, everyone actually doubted the powerhouse Dodgers.
Well, everyone but the Dodgers themselves.
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“You just keep fighting, man. Keep believing in each other, keep trusting in each other and knowing the job is not finished,” World Series hero Will Smith told Fox News Digital in a recent interview.
“Going into Toronto, the crowd was definitely a home-field advantage for them, but we were ready. We knew it was a fight, and we came out on top.”
Emotions ran wild after their wild victory in Game 6, which ended on a double play from Kike Hernandez to Miguel Rojas. But that prompted a Game 7 where anything can happen — and everything did happen.
The Blue Jays got out to a 3-0 lead with a three-run jack from Bo Bichette. Shortly after, the benches cleared after Andrés Giménez was hit by a pitch. The Dodgers chipped away with three solo shots, including one in the ninth by Rojas and another in the 11th by Will Smith.
In between those latter two home runs, Isiah Kiner-Falefa was thrown out at home by an inch; Andy Pages, a defensive substitution, quite literally ran over Hernandez to make a catch and save the season; and even the Dodgers squandered their own opportunity in the 10th.
After Smith’s home run, he and his teammates clearly felt a monkey had been taken off their backs.
“It was crazy. Miggy hitting it earlier to tie it up in the ninth. I was able to hit the one. I was fired up. We’re celebrating all that,” Smith said.
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“But guys are in the dugout, ‘We still gotta get three more outs. It’s not over yet. Let’s finish this up and get this thing done.'”
With Yoshinobu Yamamoto’s MVP performance, they did. Twenty-four hours after going six innings in Game 6, Yamamoto, the highest-paid pitcher in the sport’s history, showed why he was worth every cent despite not yet having thrown a pitch in the major leagues when he signed his $325 million contract.
In fact, Smith even said he’d take Yamamoto over Kershaw to win one game.
“You gotta go Yoshi, now. He’s over everybody right now. What he did this whole postseason was amazing, and we definitely couldn’t have done it without him. That’s for sure,” he said.
“I would totally trust Kersh, too.”
It’s been half a week’s worth of celebrations, from Toronto to Los Angeles. After the parade and stadium celebration Tuesday, Smith had one more party at a local Raising Cane’s on Wednesday, and he’s enjoying every second of partying with the Dodgers faithful.
“We had the parade the other day. That was amazing, Cane’s is packed. People are lined up down the street,” he said from the chicken tender joint. “They’re the best. Millions showed up to the parade, filled the stadium. That was awesome. It’s cool stuff. It’s been fun celebrating with everyone here. The city is so happy and excited. So am I, and so are my teammates.”
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