Blue Jays' Isiah Kiner-Falefa Explains Not Taking Bigger Lead at 3rd Base vs. Dodgers

Isiah Kiner-Falefa came just short of securing the winning run in Game 7 of the World Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers on Saturday.

In the bottom of the ninth with things tied up and the bases loaded, Daulton Varsho hit a ground ball up the middle, and Kiner-Falefa came home. Unfortunately for the Toronto Blue Jays, a short lead off third base from Kiner-Falefa gave the Dodgers just enough time to get the ball to home, and he was out.

Kiner-Falefa explained his decision to stay close to the base afterwards.

"They told us to stay close to the base. They don't want us to get doubled off in that situation with a hard line drive," he told reporters. "Varsho hits the ball really, really hard. (Muncy's) right there, I'm waiting for a backpack from Will Smith in that situation. I can't get doubled off right there, so it's almost like bases loaded. They wanted a smaller lead and a smaller secondary, so that's what I did.

"It was obviously a tough play. They got it done. The lead is small. In that situation, you can't get doubled off. I got the best secondary I could from that spot and it didn't work out."

After Kiner-Falefa was out at home, Ernie Clement popped out and things went into extra innings. Both teams went scoreless in the 10th before Los Angeles' Will Smith delivered the go-ahead home run.

Toronto couldn't answer, and the Jays' hopes of winning their first World Series since 1993 came to an end.