Vladimir Guerrero Jr Blasts off Ohtani as Toronto Defeat Dodgers to Level World Series at 2-2

Only 24 hours after enduring one of the most draining losses in World Series annals, the Toronto Blue Jays displayed total control.

Guerrero smashed a two-run homer and Shane Bieber delivered a composed outing as Toronto defeated the Dodgers 6-2 in Game 4 on Tuesday evening at their home ballpark, tying the World Series at two wins apiece and ensuring the series will return to Canada.

Toronto had passed the early hours of the next day dealing with their 18-inning Game 3 loss – tied for the longest World Series game ever – a defeat that denied them the opportunity to lead the series and depleted both bullpens. Skipper John Schneider insisted later that “they won a game, not the championship”. Twenty-three hours later, his team provided convincing proof.

Initial Action

The Los Angeles again scored first. Muncy walked in the second, moved up on a base hit and scored on Kiké Hernández's fly out. But the initial score did not shake a Toronto team that led MLB with 49 come-from-behind victories this year.

They answered immediately in the third. Lukes hit a one-out base hit to center field and Vladimir Guerrero Jr stepped in hunting a breaking ball. Ohtani threw a slider up and Guerrero drove it screaming over the left-center wall. It was his initial long hit of the series and his 7th homer this playoffs – a new team mark – regaining the Blue Jays's advantage after 13 scoreless innings and shifting the tone of the night.

Shohei's Night

That swing also halted Shohei Ohtani's history-making streak of 11 consecutive at-bats reaching base. The dual-threat star had smashed two home runs and got on base a record nine times in the Dodgers' Game 3 comeback win. But on that night, he started on limited rest – his briefest ever – after needing an IV to recover from the previous marathon.

His pitch speed sat below his regular-season norm and he labored more as the game wore on. Even so, he displayed glimpses of his typical control, retiring 11 of 12 after Guerrero Jr's homer and fanning six. He even drew a walk in the first to extend his World Series record. But the Blue Jays made him work: six hits and four runs were credited to him in over six frames.

Seventh Inning Surge

The bigger problem for Los Angeles was what came next when he eventually lost energy.

Daulton Varsho opened the seventh inning with a sharp hit to right, and Clement smashed a double off the wall to put runners on with none out. 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 finish the escape.

Banda came into the jam and immediately fell behind. Andrés Giménez battled to a full count before scoring Varsho with a single to left field. Ty France came up next with a groundout to make it 4-1, and that was sufficient to knock the pitcher out of the contest. Blake Treinen came in next but also was unable to stop the momentum: Bichette and Addison Barger hit RBI singles through the diamond, capping a four-score outburst that pushed the margin to 6-1.

Toronto's Toughness

The Toronto's capacity to withstand initial blows and respond has characterized their whole postseason. They once again succeeded without Springer, the hurt leadoff man who left Game 3 after tweaking his oblique.

Bieber, meanwhile, was everything the Blue Jays required. Traded for mid-season while finishing rehab from elbow surgery, the former award-winning winner stranded several runners and quieted the Los Angeles' potent batting order. He gave up one run on four base hits and three free passes before the manager called on rookie pitcher Mason Fluharty to confront the heart of the lineup in the sixth. Fluharty needed just 4 pitches to retire Muncy and Edman, preserving a fragile lead that quickly grew safe.

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

Closing Innings

The Los Angeles managed a run in the ninth when Edman hit into an out to score Hernández after a base on balls and Muncy's two-base hit put runners aboard. But Varland closed it down without permitting a rally to build.

Following a night when the Blue Jays left a World Series-record 19 baserunners and collapsed after wave upon wave of wasted opportunities, Game 4 was ruthlessly efficient. Six different Blue Jays recorded hits, 5 drove in scores and the team converted almost every scoring chance presented in the late innings.

Next Up

The win guarantees the championship title will be awarded at their home stadium, where the Blue Jays have not celebrated a championship since Carter's famous game-winning home run in '93. They now are aware they are guaranteed a full crowd in Toronto on Friday night – and perhaps the next day – no matter what happens next in LA.

Game 5 approaches with the matchup even and energy shifting north. Dodgers left-hander Snell (3-1, 2.42 ERA) will attempt to arrest the Toronto's surge. Toronto counter with rookie Yesavage (2-1, 4.26 ERA) in a repeat of Game 1, when the Toronto knocked out Snell quickly in an 11-4 victory.