TORONTO — Yoshinobu Yamamoto was named World Series MVP for the Los Angeles Dodgers with one of the greatest pitching performances in Fall Classic history, including an epic relief appearance in Game 7 on Saturday night.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Yamamoto pitched 2 2\/3 scoreless innings in the clincher a day after throwing 96 pitches in a Game 6 win. He also threw a four-hitter in Game 2 that was the first complete game in the World Series since 2015.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cYamamoto is the GOAT!\u201d manager Dave Roberts shouted moments before the Dodgers hoisted the World Series trophy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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.’s leadoff double to preserve a 5-4 lead and lock up LA’s second consecutive championship.<\/p>\n\n\n\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\n\n\n
The right-hander’s 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\n\n\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\n\n\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\n\n\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\n\n\n Including a victory in Game 2 of last year’s World Series against the New York Yankees, Yamamoto is 4-0 with a 1.13 ERA in four Fall Classic appearances.<\/p>\n\n\n\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\n\n\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\n\n\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\n\n\n