Guerrero Homers off Ohtani as Toronto See Off Los Angeles to Level World Series at 2-2

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

Guerrero smashed a two-run home run and Bieber provided a composed start as the Blue Jays defeated the Dodgers 6-2 in Game 4 on Tuesday evening at their home ballpark, tying the Fall Classic at two wins apiece and ensuring the matchup will return to Canada.

Toronto had passed the early hours of Tuesday processing their marathon third game defeat – tied for the lengthiest Fall Classic contest ever – a loss that denied them the opportunity to lead the series and burned through both bullpens. Manager Schneider insisted afterwards that “the Dodgers won a game, not the championship”. Twenty-three hours later, his squad provided emphatic evidence.

Early Innings

The Los Angeles again scored first. Max Muncy drew a walk in the second, moved up on a base hit and crossed the plate on Kiké Hernández's fly out. But the early breakthrough did not rattle a Blue Jays team that led Major League Baseball with 49 come-from-behind wins this season.

They responded right away in the third. Lukes hit a one-out base hit to center field and Guerrero stepped in looking for a curveball. Ohtani left a sweeper up and Guerrero drove it screaming over the outfield fence. It was his initial extra-base hit of the series and his 7th home run this playoffs – a fresh team record – regaining the Toronto's advantage after 13 shutout innings and changing the tone of the game.

Shohei's Performance

That hit also ended Ohtani's record-setting streak of 11 consecutive plate appearances reaching base. The two-way star had smashed two home runs and got on base a historic nine times in the Dodgers' Game 3 comeback win. But on that night, he took the mound on limited rest – his briefest ever – after needing an IV to recover from the prior extra-inning game.

His fastball velocity was below his seasonal norm and he struggled more as the game wore on. Nonetheless, he showed flashes of his typical command, retiring 11 of 12 after Guerrero Jr's homer and fanning six. He even drew a walk in the first inning to extend his World Series record. But the Toronto made him work: six base hits and four runs were charged to him in over six frames.

Seventh Inning Rally

The bigger problem for Los Angeles was what followed when Ohtani eventually ran out of steam.

Varsho opened the seventh inning with a sharp single to right, and Clement drilled a double off the wall to put runners on with none out. Dave Roberts had little choice but to remove the starter, who departed to a standing ovation from the home crowd. The Dodgers' relief corps could not complete the escape.

Anthony Banda inherited the mess and immediately trailed in the count. Andrés Giménez fought to a full count before driving in the runner with a base hit to left field. France followed with a fielder's choice to make it 4-1, and that was enough to remove Banda out of the game. Treinen came in next but also was unable to stop the momentum: Bichette and Addison Barger punched run-scoring singles through the diamond, capping a four-run barrage that pushed the lead to 6-1.

Blue Jays's Toughness

The Blue Jays's capacity to absorb initial blows and answer has defined their whole postseason. They once again succeeded without George Springer, the injured top-of-the-order hitter who left the third game after straining his right side.

Shane Bieber, in contrast, was exactly what Toronto required. Traded for during the summer while finishing rehab from Tommy John surgery, the former Cy Young winner left several baserunners and quieted the Dodgers' dangerous lineup. He allowed one earned run on four base hits and three free passes before Schneider called on first-year left-hander Mason Fluharty to confront the heart of the lineup in the sixth. Fluharty needed just four throws to get out Max Muncy and Edman, preserving a fragile lead that soon grew safe.

Converted starter Chris Bassitt then pitched a clean seventh and eighth as the Dodgers' bats kept to struggle. Los Angeles have produced only three runs over their last 20 frames, an abrupt downturn for a club that ranked among MLB's top offenses all season.

Final Moments

The Los Angeles scraped a score in the ninth inning when Tommy Edman hit into an out to score Teoscar Hernández after a base on balls and Muncy's double put runners aboard. But Varland closed it down without permitting a comeback to develop.

After a night when the Blue Jays left a Fall Classic-record 19 runners and fell apart after wave upon wave of wasted opportunities, the fourth contest was brutally effective. 6 separate Blue Jays collected base hits, five brought home scores and the team converted almost every run-scoring chance available in the late stanzas.

Next Up

The victory guarantees the championship title will be presented at their home stadium, where the Toronto have not won a title since Carter's famous game-winning home run in 1993. They now are aware they are assured a packed crowd in Toronto on Friday night – and perhaps Saturday – no matter what happens next in LA.

Game 5 approaches with the matchup even and energy shifting north. Dodgers pitcher Blake Snell (3-1, 2.42 ERA) will attempt to halt the Blue Jays's surge. The Blue Jays respond with rookie Trey Yesavage (2-1, 4.26 ERA) in a repeat of Game 1, when the Toronto chased the starter quickly in an 11-4 victory.