Vladimir Guerrero Jr Blasts against Ohtani as Blue Jays See Off Dodgers to Level World Series at 2-2

Only 24 hours following staggering through one of the most exhausting losses in World Series annals, the Blue Jays displayed complete control.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr crushed a two-run home run and Bieber provided a composed start as Toronto defeated the Dodgers 6-2 in Game 4 on Tuesday night at Dodger Stadium, tying the World Series at two games each and ensuring the matchup will return to Canada.

The Blue Jays had spent the morning of Tuesday processing their 18-inning Game 3 loss – tied for the longest World Series game ever – a defeat that denied them the chance to lead the matchup and depleted both bullpens. Skipper Schneider insisted later that “the Dodgers took a contest, not the World Series”. Twenty-three hours later, his squad provided emphatic evidence.

Initial Action

The Los Angeles again struck first. Muncy drew a walk in the second, advanced on a single and crossed the plate on Hernández's fly out. But the early breakthrough did not shake a Toronto club that led MLB with 49 come-from-behind victories this season.

They answered right away in the third inning. Nathan Lukes lined a one-out single to centre and Vladimir Guerrero Jr came to the plate hunting a breaking ball. Shohei Ohtani left a slider up and he drove it screaming over the outfield fence. It was his initial extra-base hit of the series and his 7th homer this playoffs – a fresh team record – restoring the Blue Jays's lead after 13 scoreless innings and changing the tone of the game.

Ohtani's Night

That hit also ended Shohei Ohtani's history-making run of 11 consecutive at-bats reaching base. The two-way star had smashed two home runs and reached safely a historic nine times in the Los Angeles' Game 3 comeback win. But on that night, he took the mound on short rest – his shortest ever – after requiring an IV to recuperate from the previous extra-inning game.

His fastball velocity was below his seasonal norm and he struggled more as the contest wore on. Nonetheless, he displayed glimpses of his usual control, retiring 11 of 12 after Guerrero's blast and striking out six. He even drew a walk in the first to continue his World Series streak. But the Toronto forced him to labor: six base hits and four runs were credited to him in six-plus innings.

Late Game Rally

The larger issue for the Dodgers was what followed when Ohtani eventually ran out of steam.

Daulton Varsho started the seventh inning with a clean hit to right field, and Clement smashed a two-base hit off the wall to put two on with none out. Dave Roberts had little choice but to pull Ohtani, who exited to a roaring applause from the home crowd. The Los Angeles' bullpen could not complete the escape.

Banda inherited the jam and immediately fell behind. Andrés Giménez fought to a full count before scoring Varsho with a single to left. France came up next with a groundout to make it 4-1, and that was sufficient to knock Banda out of the contest. Blake Treinen came in next but also failed to stop the rally: Bichette and Addison Barger punched run-scoring singles through the diamond, capping a four-score barrage that extended the lead to 6-1.

Toronto's Toughness

The Toronto's ability to absorb initial setbacks and answer has characterized their whole postseason. They once again did it without Springer, the injured top-of-the-order man who exited Game 3 after tweaking his oblique.

Bieber, meanwhile, was everything the Blue Jays needed. Traded for during the summer while completing recovery from elbow surgery, the ex- Cy Young winner stranded multiple runners and quieted the Dodgers' dangerous batting order. He allowed one earned run on four base hits and three walks before the manager called on first-year left-hander Fluharty to face the core of the order in the sixth. He required just four throws to get out Max Muncy and Edman, protecting a narrow advantage that quickly grew comfortable.

Converted starting pitcher Chris Bassitt then pitched a clean seventh and eighth innings as the Dodgers' bats kept to sputter. The Dodgers have produced only 3 runs over their previous 20 innings, an sudden slowdown for a club that ranked among baseball's elite offenses all season.

Closing Moments

The Dodgers managed a run in the ninth when Tommy Edman grounded out to score Teoscar Hernández after a base on balls and Max Muncy's two-base hit put two on base. But Louis Varland finished the game without permitting a comeback to build.

Following a night when the Blue Jays left a Fall Classic-record 19 baserunners and fell apart after repeated of wasted opportunities, the fourth contest was ruthlessly effective. 6 different Blue Jays collected hits, 5 brought home runs and the team converted almost every scoring opportunity presented in the late innings.

Next Up

The win ensures the World Series trophy will be presented at Rogers Centre, where the Blue Jays have not celebrated a title since Carter's famous game-winning home run in 1993. They now are aware they are guaranteed a full house in Toronto on Friday evening – and possibly Saturday – no matter what happens next in LA.

The fifth game approaches with the series even and momentum swinging north. Los Angeles pitcher Blake Snell (3-1, 2.42 ERA) will try to halt the Toronto's momentum. The Blue Jays counter with rookie Yesavage (2-1, 4.26 ERA) in a repeat of Game 1, when the Toronto knocked out the starter early in an 11-4 victory.