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

Only 24 hours after staggering through one of the most exhausting defeats in World Series annals, the Toronto Blue Jays displayed complete command.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr smashed a two-run homer and Bieber provided a steady start as Toronto defeated the Los Angeles Dodgers 6-2 in Game 4 on Tuesday night at Dodger Stadium, squaring the Fall Classic at two wins apiece and guaranteeing the series will return to Canada.

The Blue Jays had passed the morning of Tuesday processing their 18-inning Game 3 loss – tied for the longest World Series contest ever – a loss that cost them the opportunity to lead the matchup and depleted both bullpens. Manager John Schneider stated later that “the Dodgers won a contest, not the championship”. A day later, his squad offered emphatic proof.

Initial Action

The Dodgers again struck first. Muncy walked in the second, advanced on a base hit and crossed the plate on Kiké Hernández's sacrifice fly. But the initial score did not rattle a Toronto team that led Major League Baseball with 49 come-from-behind victories this season.

They responded immediately in the third inning. Nathan Lukes lined a one-out single to center field and Guerrero came to the plate hunting a breaking ball. Shohei Ohtani threw a slider up and he drove it screaming over the outfield fence. It was his initial extra-base hit of the series and his seventh home run this postseason – a fresh team record – regaining the Blue Jays's advantage after 13 scoreless frames and changing the tone of the night.

Ohtani's Performance

That hit also halted Ohtani's record-setting streak of 11 consecutive at-bats getting on base. The two-way phenomenon had smashed two homers and got on base a record nine times in the Dodgers' third game walk-off. But on that night, he took the mound on limited rest – his shortest ever – after requiring an IV to recuperate from the previous marathon.

His fastball velocity was below his regular-season average and he labored more as the game progressed. Nonetheless, he displayed glimpses of his typical command, setting down 11 of 12 after Guerrero Jr's blast and fanning six. He even drew a walk in the first to continue his World Series record. But the Toronto made him work: six base hits and four runs were charged to him in six-plus innings.

Seventh Inning Surge

The larger problem for Los Angeles was what followed when Ohtani eventually ran out of energy.

Varsho started the seventh with a sharp single to right field, and Clement drilled a double off the fence to put runners on with no outs. Dave Roberts had no option but to pull Ohtani, who exited to a standing ovation from the home crowd. The Dodgers' bullpen could not finish the inning.

Banda inherited the jam and right away fell behind. Giménez battled to a 3-2 count before driving in the runner with a base hit to left. France followed with a fielder's choice to make it 4-1, and that was enough to knock the pitcher out of the game. Blake Treinen entered next but also was unable to stem the rally: Bo Bichette and Addison Barger punched RBI base hits through the diamond, completing a four-run outburst that pushed the lead to 6-1.

Blue Jays's Toughness

The Toronto's capacity to withstand initial setbacks and respond has defined their whole postseason. They once again succeeded without George Springer, the hurt top-of-the-order hitter who left the third game after tweaking his right side.

Bieber, meanwhile, was everything the Blue Jays required. Acquired mid-season while completing recovery from Tommy John surgery, the former Cy Young winner left multiple runners and silenced the Dodgers' potent lineup. He gave up one run on four base hits and three free passes before the manager called on rookie pitcher Mason Fluharty to face the heart of the order in the sixth. Fluharty needed just 4 throws to retire Max Muncy and Tommy Edman, protecting a narrow lead that soon became safe.

Converted starting pitcher Chris Bassitt then pitched a clean seventh and eighth as the Dodgers' bats kept to sputter. Los Angeles have scored only 3 scores over their previous 20 innings, an sudden downturn for a team that was among baseball's elite lineups all year.

Final Innings

The Dodgers managed a run in the ninth inning when Edman grounded out to score Hernández after a base on balls and Muncy's two-base hit put two on base. But Louis Varland finished the game without allowing a comeback to build.

Following a night when Toronto left a World Series-record 19 runners and collapsed after repeated of wasted opportunities, Game 4 was brutally effective. Six different Toronto players recorded hits, five drove in scores and the team cashed nearly every run-scoring chance presented in the final stanzas.

Looking Ahead

The win guarantees the World Series trophy will be presented at their home stadium, where the Toronto have not celebrated a championship since Joe Carter's famous game-winning home run in 1993. They now are aware they are assured a full house in Toronto on Friday evening – and perhaps Saturday – no matter what occurs next in Los Angeles.

The fifth game approaches with the series even and energy shifting to Toronto. Los Angeles pitcher Snell (3-1, 2.42 ERA) will attempt to arrest the Blue Jays's momentum. Toronto counter with first-year player Yesavage (2-1, 4.26 ERA) in a rematch of the opener, when the Toronto knocked out the starter early in an 11-4 win.