Guerrero Homers against Shohei Ohtani as Blue Jays Defeat Dodgers to Tie 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.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr smashed a two-run home run and Bieber delivered a composed start as the Blue Jays beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 6-2 in Game 4 on Tuesday evening at Dodger Stadium, squaring the World Series at two wins apiece and ensuring the series will head back to Toronto.

Toronto had passed the early hours of the next day dealing with their marathon Game 3 loss – tied for the lengthiest World Series game ever – a loss that denied them the opportunity to take the lead in the series and burned through both relief corps. Skipper John Schneider insisted afterwards that “they took a contest, not the World Series”. A day later, his squad offered convincing proof.

Initial Innings

The Los Angeles again struck first. Max Muncy drew a walk in the second, advanced on a single and scored on Kiké Hernández's sacrifice fly. But the early breakthrough did not shake a Toronto team that led MLB with 49 come-from-behind wins this year.

They responded immediately in the third inning. Nathan Lukes hit a one-out base hit to centre and Vladimir Guerrero Jr stepped in hunting a curveball. Shohei Ohtani left a slider up and Guerrero drove it screaming over the outfield fence. It was his first extra-base hit of the World Series and his seventh home run this playoffs – a new club mark – restoring the Toronto's lead after 13 shutout innings and changing the tone of the game.

Shohei's Performance

That hit also ended Ohtani's history-making streak of 11 consecutive plate appearances getting on base. The two-way star had smashed two home runs and got on base a historic nine times in the Los Angeles' third game walk-off. But on Tuesday, he started on short rest – his shortest ever – after requiring an IV to recuperate from the previous extra-inning game.

His pitch speed was under his seasonal average and he labored more as the contest wore on. Nonetheless, he displayed glimpses of his typical command, retiring 11 of 12 after Guerrero's homer and striking out six. He even walked in the first to extend his Fall Classic record. But the Blue Jays made him work: six hits and four earned runs were charged to him in over six innings.

Late Game Rally

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

Varsho opened the seventh inning with a sharp hit to right field, and Clement drilled a double off the fence to put runners on with none out. Dave Roberts had little choice but to pull Ohtani, who exited to a standing ovation from the local fans. The Los Angeles' relief corps could not complete the inning.

Anthony Banda inherited the jam and immediately fell behind. Andrés Giménez fought to a 3-2 count before driving in Varsho with a single to left field. Ty France came up next with a fielder's choice to make it 4-1, and that was enough to remove Banda out of the game. Blake Treinen entered next but also failed to stem the momentum: Bo Bichette and Addison Barger hit run-scoring base hits through the diamond, completing a four-run outburst that extended the lead to 6-1.

Blue Jays's Resilience

The Blue Jays's ability to absorb early setbacks and respond has defined their entire postseason. They once again succeeded without George Springer, the injured leadoff hitter who exited Game 3 after straining his right side.

Shane Bieber, in contrast, was exactly what the Blue Jays required. Traded for mid-season while finishing rehab from elbow surgery, the former Cy Young winner left multiple runners and silenced the Dodgers' dangerous batting order. He gave up one run on four base hits and three free passes before the manager summoned rookie left-hander Fluharty to confront the core of the order in the sixth inning. He required just four pitches to retire Muncy and Edman, preserving a fragile lead that soon grew comfortable.

Converted starter Bassitt then worked a clean seventh and eighth innings as the Dodgers' bats continued to sputter. Los Angeles have scored only three scores over their previous 20 frames, an sudden downturn for a club that was among baseball's top lineups all season.

Closing Innings

The Los Angeles managed a score in the ninth when Tommy Edman hit into an out to score Teoscar Hernández after a base on balls and Muncy's two-base hit put runners on base. But Varland finished the game without permitting a comeback to develop.

Following a game when the Blue Jays left a Fall Classic-record 19 baserunners and collapsed after wave upon wave of missed opportunities, Game 4 was brutally effective. Six separate Toronto players collected hits, five drove in runs and the squad cashed nearly every run-scoring opportunity presented in the late innings.

Next Up

The victory guarantees the World Series title will be presented at Rogers Centre, where the Blue Jays have not won a championship since Joe Carter's famous game-winning homer in '93. They now know they are guaranteed a full crowd in Canada on Friday night – and perhaps Saturday – no matter what occurs next in Los Angeles.

Game 5 looms with the matchup reset and momentum shifting to Toronto. Dodgers pitcher Blake Snell (3-1, 2.42 ERA) will try to halt the Blue Jays's momentum. Toronto counter with first-year player Trey Yesavage (2-1, 4.26 ERA) in a repeat of Game 1, when the Toronto knocked out the starter quickly in an 11-4 win.