Guerrero Homers against Ohtani as Toronto See Off Los Angeles to Tie World Series at 2-2

Only 24 hours following enduring one of the most draining losses in Fall Classic annals, the Toronto Blue Jays displayed complete control.

Guerrero crushed a two-run home run and Bieber provided a steady outing as Toronto beat the Dodgers 6-2 in Game 4 on Tuesday evening at Dodger Stadium, squaring the World Series at two games each and guaranteeing the series will head back to Toronto.

Toronto had spent the early hours of Tuesday processing their marathon third game defeat – equal to the longest World Series contest ever – a loss that cost them the opportunity to lead the matchup and depleted both relief corps. Skipper Schneider insisted later that “the Dodgers took a game, not the championship”. Twenty-three hours later, his squad offered convincing proof.

Early Innings

The Los Angeles again scored first. Muncy drew a walk in the second, advanced on a base hit and scored on Kiké Hernández's sacrifice fly. But the initial score did not rattle a Blue Jays club that led Major League Baseball with 49 comeback wins this year.

They responded immediately in the third inning. Lukes hit a one-out single to centre and Guerrero stepped in hunting a breaking ball. Shohei Ohtani left a slider up and he drove it screaming over the left-center wall. It was his initial long hit of the series and his seventh home run this playoffs – a new club mark – restoring the Blue Jays's lead after 13 shutout frames and shifting the tone of the game.

Shohei's Night

That hit also ended Ohtani's record-setting streak of 11 consecutive at-bats getting on base. The two-way phenomenon had hit two home runs and got on base a historic nine times in the Dodgers' third game walk-off. But on Tuesday, he started on short rest – his briefest ever – after requiring an IV to recover from the prior extra-inning game.

His fastball velocity sat below his seasonal norm and he struggled more as the contest progressed. Even so, he displayed flashes of his typical command, setting down 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 Blue Jays forced him to labor: six base hits and four runs were credited to him in six-plus innings.

Late Game Surge

The larger problem for Los Angeles was what followed when Ohtani finally ran out of steam.

Varsho started the seventh with a clean single to right field, and Ernie Clement smashed a double off the fence to put runners on with no outs. Dave Roberts had no option but to pull the starter, who exited to a roaring applause from the home crowd. The Dodgers' relief corps could not complete the inning.

Anthony Banda came into the jam and right away fell behind. Giménez fought to a 3-2 count before scoring Varsho with a single to left. Ty France came up next with a groundout to make it 4-1, and that was sufficient to remove the pitcher out of the contest. Blake Treinen entered next but also was unable to stem the rally: Bo Bichette and Barger punched RBI base hits through the infield, capping a four-run outburst that pushed the lead to 6-1.

Blue Jays's Resilience

The Toronto's capacity to withstand early blows and answer has defined their entire run. They once again succeeded without Springer, the injured top-of-the-order man who left Game 3 after straining his oblique.

Shane Bieber, in contrast, was everything Toronto needed. Traded for mid-season while finishing recovery from elbow surgery, the former Cy Young winner stranded several runners and quieted the Los Angeles' dangerous lineup. He allowed one run on four base hits and three walks before the manager called on rookie left-hander Fluharty to confront the core of the order in the sixth. Fluharty required just four throws to get out Muncy and Tommy Edman, protecting a fragile advantage that quickly became safe.

Converted starter Bassitt then worked a clean seventh and eighth as the Los Angeles' offense continued to sputter. Los Angeles have produced only three scores over their last 20 innings, an abrupt downturn for a team that ranked among baseball's top offenses all year.

Closing Moments

The Los Angeles managed a score in the ninth when Tommy Edman grounded out to score Hernández after a base on balls and Muncy's double put runners aboard. But Louis Varland closed it down without allowing a rally to build.

Following a night when Toronto stranded a Fall Classic-record 19 runners and fell apart after wave upon wave of missed chances, the fourth contest was ruthlessly effective. 6 different Toronto players recorded base hits, 5 brought home scores and the team converted nearly every run-scoring opportunity presented in the final stanzas.

Looking Ahead

The win ensures the championship trophy will be awarded at their home stadium, where the Toronto have not celebrated a title since Carter's famous walk-off homer in 1993. They now are aware they are assured a packed house in Canada on Friday night – and perhaps the next day – no matter what occurs next in Los Angeles.

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