Vladimir Guerrero Jr Blasts against Shohei Ohtani as Blue Jays See Off Dodgers to Level Series at 2-2

Less than a day after enduring one of the most draining losses in World Series history, the Blue Jays played with total command.

Guerrero smashed a two-run homer and Bieber provided a composed outing as Toronto defeated the Los Angeles Dodgers 6-2 in Game 4 on Tuesday evening at Dodger Stadium, tying the Fall Classic at two games each and ensuring the series will return to Canada.

The Blue Jays had spent the morning of the next day processing their 18-inning Game 3 loss – equal to the lengthiest Fall Classic contest ever – a loss that denied them the opportunity to take the lead in the series and depleted both bullpens. Skipper John Schneider stated afterwards that “they took a game, not the championship”. Twenty-three hours later, his squad provided convincing evidence.

Initial Innings

The Los Angeles again struck first. Muncy walked in the second inning, advanced on a single and crossed the plate on Kiké Hernández's sacrifice fly. But the initial score did not rattle a Toronto team that topped Major League Baseball with 49 comeback victories this year.

They answered immediately in the third inning. Nathan Lukes hit a one away base hit to center field and Vladimir Guerrero Jr came to the plate looking for a breaking ball. Ohtani threw a slider 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 playoffs – a new team mark – restoring the Toronto's advantage after 13 scoreless innings and shifting the momentum of the night.

Shohei's Night

That hit also ended Shohei Ohtani's history-making streak of 11 straight plate appearances getting on base. The dual-threat star had hit two homers and got on base a historic nine times in the Dodgers' Game 3 walk-off. But on that night, he started on short rest – his shortest ever – after requiring an IV to recuperate from the previous extra-inning game.

Ohtani pitch speed sat under his seasonal average and he labored more as the contest progressed. Even so, he showed glimpses of his typical command, retiring 11 of 12 after Guerrero Jr's homer and fanning six. He even walked in the first to continue his World Series streak. But the Toronto made him work: six hits and four runs were credited to him in over six innings.

Seventh Inning Surge

The bigger problem for Los Angeles was what came next when he finally ran out of energy.

Daulton Varsho started the seventh inning with a sharp single to right field, and Clement smashed a two-base hit off the fence to put runners on with no outs. Dave Roberts had little choice but to remove the starter, who departed to a roaring applause from the home crowd. The Los Angeles' relief corps could not complete the escape.

Banda came into the jam and immediately trailed in the count. Andrés Giménez fought to a 3-2 count before scoring the runner with a single to left. Ty France came up next with a groundout to make it 4-1, and that was sufficient to knock the pitcher out of the game. Treinen entered next but also was unable to stop the rally: Bichette and Barger punched RBI base hits through the infield, capping a four-score barrage that pushed the lead to 6-1.

Toronto's Toughness

The Toronto's ability to withstand initial blows and respond has characterized their whole run. They once again succeeded without Springer, the hurt top-of-the-order hitter who exited the third game after tweaking his oblique.

Bieber, meanwhile, was everything Toronto required. Traded for mid-season while finishing rehab from Tommy John surgery, the ex- award-winning winner stranded multiple baserunners and silenced the Los Angeles' dangerous lineup. He allowed one earned run on four base hits and three free passes before the manager summoned rookie pitcher Mason Fluharty to confront the heart of the lineup in the sixth. He required just 4 throws to retire Max Muncy and Tommy Edman, preserving a narrow advantage that soon grew safe.

Former starter Bassitt then pitched a scoreless seventh and eighth innings as the Dodgers' bats continued to struggle. Los Angeles have scored only three runs over their last 20 innings, an sudden downturn for a club that ranked among MLB's top offenses all year.

Closing Moments

The Dodgers managed a score in the ninth when Tommy Edman hit into an out to score Hernández after a base on balls and Max Muncy's two-base hit put two on base. But Louis Varland finished the game without allowing a rally to build.

After a game when the Blue Jays stranded a World Series-record 19 runners and fell apart after repeated of missed opportunities, the fourth contest was brutally effective. Six separate Blue Jays collected base hits, five drove in scores and the squad cashed almost every run-scoring chance presented in the final innings.

Looking Ahead

The victory ensures the World Series trophy will be presented at their home stadium, where the Blue Jays have not won a title since Carter's iconic game-winning home run in 1993. They now are aware they are assured a packed house in Canada on Friday evening – and possibly Saturday – no matter what happens next in Los Angeles.

Game 5 approaches with the series even and momentum shifting north. Dodgers left-hander Blake Snell (3-1, 2.42 ERA) will try to halt the Blue Jays's momentum. The Blue Jays respond with rookie Trey Yesavage (2-1, 4.26 ERA) in a repeat of Game 1, when the Blue Jays knocked out Snell quickly in an 11-4 victory.