Guerrero Blasts off Shohei Ohtani as Toronto See Off Los Angeles to Tie World Series at 2-2

Less than a day following enduring one of the most exhausting losses in Fall Classic history, the Blue Jays displayed complete command.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr smashed a two-run home run and Shane Bieber delivered a steady outing as Toronto defeated the Los Angeles Dodgers 6-2 in the fourth game on Tuesday night at their home ballpark, squaring the Fall Classic at two games each and guaranteeing the matchup will return to Canada.

The Blue Jays had spent the early hours of the next day dealing with their 18-inning Game 3 loss – tied for the longest Fall Classic game ever – a loss that denied them the opportunity to lead the matchup and burned through both relief corps. Manager Schneider stated afterwards that “they won a game, not the World Series”. Twenty-three hours later, his squad provided emphatic evidence.

Initial Innings

The Dodgers again struck first. Muncy walked in the second inning, moved up on a single and crossed the plate on Kiké Hernández's fly out. But the initial breakthrough did not rattle a Toronto club that topped MLB with 49 comeback victories this year.

They answered immediately in the third inning. Nathan Lukes lined a one away single to centre and Guerrero stepped in hunting a curveball. Ohtani left a sweeper up and Guerrero sent it soaring over the outfield fence. It was his first long hit of the series and his 7th homer this playoffs – a new team record – regaining the Blue Jays's lead after 13 scoreless frames and shifting the momentum of the night.

Ohtani's Performance

That swing also ended Shohei Ohtani's history-making run 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 comeback win. But on that night, he started on short rest – his shortest ever – after needing an IV to recuperate from the previous marathon.

His pitch speed sat under his regular-season norm and he labored more as the game progressed. Even so, he showed flashes of his typical control, retiring 11 of 12 after Guerrero Jr's homer and fanning six. He even walked in the first to continue his World Series streak. But the Toronto made him work: six hits and four runs were charged to him in over six frames.

Late Game Rally

The bigger issue for Los Angeles was what came next when he finally lost energy.

Daulton Varsho started the seventh with a sharp hit to right field, and Ernie Clement drilled a two-base hit off the wall to put runners on with none out. Roberts had no option but to pull Ohtani, who exited to a standing ovation from the local fans. The Los Angeles' relief corps could not finish the inning.

Anthony Banda came into the mess and immediately fell behind. Andrés Giménez battled to a 3-2 count before scoring the runner with a single to left. Ty France followed with a groundout to make it 4-1, and that was enough to knock the pitcher out of the contest. Treinen entered next but also failed to stem the rally: Bo Bichette and Addison Barger hit RBI base hits through the diamond, capping a four-run outburst that pushed the lead to 6-1.

Blue Jays's Resilience

The Toronto's capacity to withstand early setbacks and respond has defined their whole postseason. They once again did it without Springer, the hurt leadoff hitter who exited the third game after straining his right side.

Bieber, meanwhile, was everything Toronto needed. Acquired mid-season while finishing recovery from Tommy John surgery, the ex- award-winning winner stranded several runners and silenced the Dodgers' potent batting order. He allowed one run on four base hits and three free passes before the manager called on rookie pitcher Mason Fluharty to face the core of the order in the sixth inning. Fluharty required just four pitches to retire Max Muncy and Edman, preserving a fragile advantage that soon grew safe.

Former starter Chris Bassitt then worked a clean seventh and eighth innings as the Dodgers' offense kept to sputter. The Dodgers have scored only three scores over their previous 20 frames, an abrupt downturn for a team that was among MLB's elite offenses all year.

Final Innings

The Los Angeles managed a run in the ninth when Tommy Edman grounded out to bring home Hernández after a base on balls and Muncy's double put two aboard. But Varland closed it down without permitting a rally to build.

Following a game when the Blue Jays stranded a Fall Classic-record 19 baserunners and collapsed after repeated of wasted opportunities, Game 4 was brutally effective. Six different Toronto players collected base hits, five brought home runs and the squad converted nearly every run-scoring chance presented in the late innings.

Looking Ahead

The victory ensures the World Series title will be awarded at their home stadium, where the Blue Jays have not won a title since Carter's famous walk-off homer in 1993. They now are aware they are guaranteed a packed house in Toronto on Friday evening – and possibly Saturday – no matter what happens next in Los Angeles.

Game 5 approaches with the series even and energy swinging to Toronto. Dodgers pitcher Blake Snell (3-1, 2.42 ERA) will attempt to arrest the Toronto's surge. Toronto counter with first-year player Yesavage (2-1, 4.26 ERA) in a rematch of the opener, when the Toronto chased Snell early in an 11-4 victory.