Guerrero Blasts against Ohtani as Toronto Defeat Dodgers to Level Series at 2-2

Less than a day following enduring one of the most exhausting defeats in World Series history, the Blue Jays displayed total command.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr crushed a two-run homer and Shane Bieber provided a composed start as Toronto defeated the Los Angeles Dodgers 6-2 in the fourth game on Tuesday night at their home ballpark, tying the World Series at two wins apiece and guaranteeing the matchup will head back to Canada.

The Blue Jays had passed the early hours of the next day processing their marathon third game defeat – tied for the longest World Series game ever – a defeat that cost them the opportunity to lead the series and depleted both relief corps. Manager Schneider stated afterwards that “they won a game, not the championship”. Twenty-three hours later, his team offered emphatic evidence.

Initial Innings

The Los Angeles again scored first. Max Muncy drew a walk in the second, advanced on a base hit and scored on Hernández's fly out. But the initial score did not shake a Blue Jays club that led MLB with 49 come-from-behind victories this season.

They answered right away in the third. Lukes lined a one-out base hit to center field and Guerrero came to the plate looking for a breaking ball. Ohtani threw a sweeper up and he drove it screaming over the left-center wall. It was his first long hit of the series and his seventh home run this postseason – a new team record – restoring the Blue Jays's advantage after 13 shutout frames and shifting the tone of the game.

Shohei's Performance

That swing also halted Ohtani's history-making run of 11 straight at-bats reaching base. The dual-threat phenomenon had hit two home runs and reached safely a record nine times in the Dodgers' third game comeback win. But on that night, he took the mound on limited rest – his shortest ever – after requiring an IV to recuperate from the prior extra-inning game.

His pitch speed was under his seasonal average and he struggled more as the game progressed. Nonetheless, he displayed glimpses of his typical control, retiring 11 of 12 after Guerrero's blast and striking out six. He even walked in the first 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.

Seventh Inning Surge

The bigger issue for the Dodgers was what followed when Ohtani finally lost steam.

Daulton Varsho started the seventh inning with a sharp hit to right field, and Ernie Clement smashed a double off the fence to put runners on with no outs. Roberts had no option but to pull Ohtani, who exited to a standing ovation from the local fans. The Dodgers' bullpen could not finish the escape.

Banda inherited the jam and immediately trailed in the count. Andrés Giménez fought to a full count before scoring the runner with a single to left field. Ty France followed with a groundout to make it 4-1, and that was enough to remove the pitcher out of the contest. Blake Treinen entered next but also failed to stop the rally: Bo Bichette and Barger punched RBI singles through the infield, capping a four-score outburst that pushed the lead to 6-1.

Toronto's Resilience

The Blue Jays's ability to withstand initial setbacks and answer has characterized their entire run. They once again did it without Springer, the injured top-of-the-order hitter who left Game 3 after tweaking his right side.

Bieber, meanwhile, was everything Toronto needed. Acquired during the summer while finishing recovery from elbow surgery, the ex- award-winning winner left several runners and quieted the Los Angeles' dangerous lineup. He gave up one run on four base hits and three walks before Schneider called on rookie pitcher Fluharty to face the core of the order in the sixth. He required just 4 pitches to get out Muncy and Edman, preserving a narrow advantage that soon grew comfortable.

Converted starting pitcher Bassitt then worked a clean seventh and eighth innings as the Dodgers' offense continued to struggle. Los Angeles have scored only 3 runs over their last 20 innings, an sudden slowdown for a team that ranked among baseball's elite lineups all season.

Closing Innings

The Los Angeles managed a run in the ninth inning when Edman grounded out to score Hernández after a walk and Max Muncy's two-base hit put two aboard. But Varland closed it down without allowing a comeback to build.

After a night when the Blue Jays stranded a Fall Classic-record 19 baserunners and fell apart after repeated of wasted chances, the fourth contest was brutally efficient. Six separate Blue Jays collected base hits, five brought home runs and the team converted nearly every scoring chance presented in the late innings.

Looking Ahead

The victory guarantees the World Series trophy will be awarded at Rogers Centre, where the Toronto have not celebrated a championship since Carter's iconic walk-off home run in '93. They now are aware they are guaranteed a packed crowd in Canada on Friday night – and possibly the next day – no matter what occurs next in LA.

The fifth game approaches with the series reset and momentum shifting to Toronto. Los Angeles left-hander Blake Snell (3-1, 2.42 ERA) will attempt to arrest the Blue Jays's surge. The Blue Jays counter with first-year player Yesavage (2-1, 4.26 ERA) in a rematch of Game 1, when the Toronto knocked out the starter quickly in an decisive win.