Vladimir Guerrero Jr Blasts against Ohtani as Blue Jays See Off Los Angeles to Tie Series at 2-2

Less than a day following staggering through one of the most exhausting losses in World Series annals, the Blue Jays played with total command.

Guerrero crushed a two-run homer and Shane Bieber provided a composed outing as the Blue Jays defeated the Dodgers 6-2 in Game 4 on Tuesday evening at Dodger Stadium, tying the World Series at two wins apiece and ensuring the series will head back to Toronto.

The Blue Jays had passed the morning of Tuesday dealing with their 18-inning third game defeat – equal to the longest World Series contest ever – a defeat that denied them the chance to lead the series and burned through both relief corps. Skipper Schneider stated afterwards that “they took a game, not the championship”. A day later, his squad provided emphatic proof.

Early Innings

The Dodgers again struck first. Max Muncy drew a walk in the second inning, moved up on a single and crossed the plate on Kiké Hernández's fly out. But the early breakthrough did not shake a Toronto team that led MLB with 49 come-from-behind victories this year.

They answered right away in the third inning. Lukes lined a one away base hit to centre and Vladimir Guerrero Jr came to the plate hunting a curveball. Shohei Ohtani left a slider up and Guerrero sent it screaming over the left-center wall. It was his first extra-base hit of the series and his seventh home run this postseason – a fresh team record – restoring the Toronto's advantage after 13 shutout innings and changing the momentum of the night.

Ohtani's Night

That hit also ended Shohei Ohtani's history-making run of 11 straight at-bats getting on base. The two-way star had hit two homers and reached safely a historic nine times in the Dodgers' third game walk-off. But on Tuesday, he took the mound on limited rest – his shortest ever – after needing an IV to recover from the prior extra-inning game.

His fastball velocity was below his seasonal average and he struggled more as the game progressed. Nonetheless, he displayed flashes of his typical control, retiring 11 of 12 after Guerrero's homer and fanning six. He even walked in the first inning to extend his Fall Classic streak. But the Toronto forced him to labor: six hits and four earned runs were charged to him in six-plus innings.

Late Game Surge

The larger issue for Los Angeles was what came next when he finally ran out of steam.

Varsho started the seventh with a clean hit to right, and Ernie Clement smashed a double off the wall to put two on with no outs. Roberts had little choice but to pull Ohtani, who exited to a roaring applause from the local fans. The Dodgers' relief corps could not complete the inning.

Banda inherited the jam and right away trailed in the count. Giménez battled to a full count before driving in Varsho with a base hit to left. Ty France followed with a groundout to make it 4-1, and that was enough to remove the pitcher out of the game. Blake Treinen came in next but also failed to stop the momentum: Bichette and Barger punched run-scoring singles through the diamond, completing a four-run outburst that pushed the lead to 6-1.

Toronto's Toughness

The Toronto's ability to absorb initial blows and answer has defined their entire postseason. They once again succeeded without Springer, the hurt top-of-the-order hitter who exited the third game after tweaking his right side.

Bieber, meanwhile, was everything the Blue Jays required. Acquired during the summer while completing recovery from Tommy John surgery, the former award-winning winner stranded multiple baserunners and quieted the Dodgers' dangerous lineup. He gave up one earned run on four hits and three free passes before the manager summoned first-year pitcher Fluharty to face the heart of the lineup in the sixth inning. Fluharty needed just 4 throws to get out Max Muncy and Edman, preserving a fragile advantage that soon grew safe.

Former starting pitcher Bassitt then worked a scoreless seventh and eighth innings as the Dodgers' bats continued to sputter. Los Angeles have produced only 3 scores over their last 20 frames, an abrupt slowdown for a team that ranked among baseball's top offenses all season.

Closing Moments

The Dodgers managed a run in the ninth inning when Tommy Edman hit into an out to bring home Teoscar Hernández after a walk and Muncy's two-base hit put two aboard. But Louis Varland finished the game without allowing a rally to build.

After a night when Toronto left a World Series-record 19 runners and collapsed after wave upon wave of missed opportunities, the fourth contest was brutally efficient. Six separate Blue Jays collected hits, 5 drove in runs and the squad cashed nearly every run-scoring chance presented in the final innings.

Looking Ahead

The victory ensures the World Series trophy will be awarded at their home stadium, where the Toronto have not won a championship since Carter's famous game-winning homer in 1993. They now are aware they are assured a full house in Canada on Friday evening – and perhaps Saturday – no matter what happens next in Los Angeles.

The fifth game approaches with the series even and energy swinging north. Dodgers left-hander Blake Snell (3-1, 2.42 ERA) will attempt to arrest the Toronto's momentum. The Blue Jays counter with first-year player Trey Yesavage (2-1, 4.26 ERA) in a rematch of the opener, when the Toronto chased Snell quickly in an decisive victory.