TORONTO (AP) \u2014 Yoshinobu Yamamoto\u2019s arms were so tired, he needed help lifting the World Series MVP trophy.<\/p>\n
Hardly a surprise, considering how much he pitched in the final two games of this seven-game classic.<\/p>\n
Yamamoto capped one of the best pitching performances in World Series history with 2 2\/3 scoreless innings to end the clincher. That came one day after throwing 96 pitches in the Dodgers\u2019 Game 6 win, and he also pitched a four-hitter in Game 2 to help Los Angeles repeat as champions in a fantastic Series against the Toronto Blue Jays.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s pretty crazy,\u201d Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said of Yamamoto\u2019s heavy workload. \u201cI\u2019m kind of crazy for sending him back out there. But I just felt he was the best option.\u201d<\/p>\n
Hard to argue there. The 27-year-old Japanese ace pitched out of a jam in the ninth inning, leaving the bases loaded and the score tied at 4. After cruising through the 10th, he worked around Vladimir Guerrero Jr.\u2019s leadoff double in the 11th to preserve a 5-4 lead and lock up LA\u2019s second consecutive championship.<\/p>\n
\u201cYamamoto is the GOAT!\u201d Roberts shouted moments before the Dodgers hoisted the World Series trophy.<\/p>\n
Still, even Yamamoto wasn\u2019t sure he\u2019d be able to get the job done in Game 7.<\/p>\n
\u201cBefore I went in, to be honest, I was not really sure if I could pitch up there to my best ability,\u201d he said through a translator. \u201cBut as I started getting warmed up, because I started making a little bit of an adjustment, then I started thinking I can go in and do my job.\u201d<\/p>\n
Yamamoto is the fourth pitcher to win Games 6 and 7 of the same World Series, matching Randy Johnson in 2001, Harry Brecheen in 1946 and Ray Kremer in 1925. He and Johnson are the only pitchers since 1969 to win three games in one World Series.<\/p>\n
Yamamoto\u2019s Game 7 cap is being sent to the Hall of Fame in Cooperstown.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat was incredible,\u201d said catcher Will Smith, who hit the Dodgers\u2019 tiebreaking homer in the 11th. \u201cYou know, I talked to him yesterday. I was like, `Hey, if you can give us one we\u2019re going to win.\u2019 He gave us three. That was special. He\u2019ll have a few months off. I know he\u2019s going to need it, but I\u2019m just happy for him. That was awesome.\u201d<\/p>\n
Signed from Japan to a $325 million, 12-year contract before last season, Yamamoto was 3-0 with a 1.09 ERA against the Toronto Blue Jays. The 27-year-old struck out 15 and walked two over 17 2\/3 innings, allowing two runs and 10 hits.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s one of the best arms in the game,\u201d Toronto\u2019s Addison Barger said. \u201cHe did a great job. Kind of freaky that he came in and pitched today after yesterday. I don\u2019t know what they\u2019re doing over there, how he did that without his arm falling off.\u201d<\/p>\n
Blue Jays slugger George Springer said Yamamoto\u2019s deep arsenal of pitches is a key part of what makes him so tough.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s elite,\u201d Springer said. \u201cThere\u2019s no other way to describe it. He\u2019s elite. He can control six or seven different types of spin and obviously that split is hard to hit.\u201d<\/p>\n
The right-hander\u2019s Game 2 gem was his second consecutive complete game of the postseason. He retired the final 20 batters in a 5-1 Dodgers victory.<\/a><\/p>\n That came after a three-hitter against Milwaukee in the National League Championship Series<\/a>, the first postseason complete game in eight years<\/a>.<\/p>\n No pitcher had gone the distance in the Fall Classic since Kansas City\u2019s Johnny Cueto fired a two-hitter against the New York Mets<\/a> in Game 2 of the 2015 World Series.<\/p>\n Yamamoto was not quite as sharp in Game 6, allowing one run and five hits in six innings as Los Angeles won 3-1 to force Game 7<\/a>.<\/p>\n Including a victory in Game 2 of last year\u2019s World Series against the New York Yankees, Yamamoto is 4-0 with a 1.13 ERA in four Fall Classic appearances.<\/p>\n Arizona ace Curt Schilling was the last pitcher to throw consecutive complete games in the postseason, tossing three in a row in the 2001 NL Division Series and NLCS. <\/p>\n Orel Hershiser had been the last Dodgers pitcher with a solo Series effort, in Games 2 and 5 against Oakland in 1988. Hall of Famer Sandy Koufax pitched two Series complete games each in 1963 and 1965.<\/p>\n Yamamoto pitched 12 complete games in his last three seasons with the Orix Buffaloes of Japan\u2019s Pacific League before joining the Dodgers.<\/p>\n ___ <\/p>\n