Guerrero Blasts off Ohtani as Toronto See Off Los Angeles to Level Series at 2-2

Less than a day after enduring one of the most exhausting losses in Fall Classic annals, the Toronto Blue Jays played with total command.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr crushed a two-run homer and Bieber provided a steady outing as Toronto beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 6-2 in Game 4 on Tuesday night at Dodger Stadium, squaring the World Series at two wins apiece and ensuring the series will head back to Canada.

Toronto had passed the morning of Tuesday processing their marathon Game 3 loss – tied for the longest Fall Classic contest ever – a loss that denied them the chance to lead the series and depleted both bullpens. Skipper John Schneider insisted later that “the Dodgers won a contest, not the championship”. A day later, his squad offered emphatic evidence.

Early Innings

The Los Angeles again struck first. Max Muncy walked in the second, advanced on a single and scored on Hernández's fly out. But the initial score did not rattle a Toronto club that topped Major League Baseball with 49 comeback victories this season.

They answered right away in the third. Lukes lined a one away single to centre and Vladimir Guerrero Jr stepped in hunting a curveball. Ohtani left a sweeper up and he sent it soaring over the outfield fence. It was his first long hit of the World Series and his 7th home run this postseason – a fresh team record – regaining the Blue Jays's advantage after 13 shutout innings and changing the momentum of the night.

Ohtani's Night

That hit also ended Shohei Ohtani's record-setting streak of 11 straight plate appearances getting on base. The two-way phenomenon had smashed two homers and reached safely a record nine times in the Dodgers' third game walk-off. But on that night, he started on short rest – his shortest ever – after needing an IV to recover from the previous marathon.

His fastball velocity sat under his seasonal norm and he struggled more as the contest progressed. Even so, he showed glimpses of his usual command, setting down 11 of 12 after Guerrero's homer and striking out six. He even drew a walk in the first to continue his Fall Classic streak. But the Toronto made him work: six hits and four earned runs were charged to him in over six frames.

Late Game Surge

The bigger problem for the Dodgers was what came next when Ohtani eventually lost energy.

Daulton Varsho started the seventh with a sharp single to right field, and Clement smashed a two-base hit off the fence to put runners on with none out. Roberts had no option but to remove the starter, who exited to a standing ovation from the local fans. The Dodgers' relief corps could not finish the inning.

Anthony Banda came into the mess and right away fell behind. Andrés Giménez battled to a full count before driving in Varsho with a base hit to left field. Ty France followed with a groundout to make it 4-1, and that was enough to knock the pitcher out of the contest. Treinen entered next but also was unable to stop the momentum: Bichette and Addison Barger hit run-scoring singles through the infield, capping a four-run outburst that extended the margin to 6-1.

Blue Jays's Resilience

The Toronto's ability to withstand initial blows and respond has characterized their entire run. They once again succeeded without George Springer, the injured top-of-the-order man who left Game 3 after straining his right side.

Bieber, in contrast, was everything the Blue Jays needed. Traded for during the summer while finishing rehab from elbow surgery, the former award-winning winner stranded several runners and silenced the Dodgers' dangerous lineup. He gave up one run on four base hits and three free passes before the manager summoned rookie left-hander Fluharty to confront the core of the lineup in the sixth. Fluharty required just 4 pitches to get out Muncy and Tommy Edman, protecting a fragile advantage that quickly grew comfortable.

Converted starter Bassitt then worked a scoreless seventh and eighth as the Los Angeles' bats continued to sputter. Los Angeles have scored only three scores over their previous 20 frames, an sudden slowdown for a club that was among baseball's top offenses all season.

Final Innings

The Dodgers managed a run in the ninth inning when Edman grounded out to bring home Teoscar Hernández after a base on balls and Max Muncy's two-base hit put runners aboard. But Varland closed it down without allowing a rally to develop.

After a game when the Blue Jays left a Fall Classic-record 19 runners and collapsed after repeated of missed chances, Game 4 was brutally efficient. 6 separate Toronto players collected base hits, five brought home runs and the team cashed almost every scoring chance available in the late innings.

Looking Ahead

The win guarantees the World Series title will be presented at their home stadium, where the Blue Jays have not celebrated a title since Joe Carter's iconic walk-off home run in '93. They now are aware they are guaranteed a packed house in Toronto on Friday evening – and possibly Saturday – no matter what happens next in Los Angeles.

The fifth game looms with the series even and energy swinging to Toronto. Los Angeles left-hander Blake Snell (3-1, 2.42 ERA) will attempt to arrest the Toronto's momentum. Toronto counter with rookie Trey Yesavage (2-1, 4.26 ERA) in a repeat of Game 1, when the Blue Jays knocked out the starter quickly in an decisive victory.