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

Only 24 hours after enduring one of the most exhausting defeats in World Series annals, the Blue Jays displayed total command.

Guerrero smashed a two-run home run and Shane Bieber delivered a composed outing as the Blue Jays defeated the Los Angeles Dodgers 6-2 in the fourth game on Tuesday night at their home ballpark, tying the World Series at two wins apiece and ensuring the matchup will head back to Toronto.

The Blue Jays had passed the early hours of Tuesday processing their marathon third game defeat – equal to the longest World Series contest ever – a loss that denied them the opportunity to lead the series and depleted both bullpens. Skipper Schneider stated afterwards that “they won a contest, not the championship”. Twenty-three hours later, his team offered emphatic proof.

Early Innings

The Los Angeles again scored first. Muncy drew a walk in the second, moved up on a base hit and scored on Hernández's sacrifice fly. But the early score did not rattle a Toronto team that led Major League Baseball with 49 come-from-behind victories this season.

They responded immediately in the third inning. Nathan Lukes hit a one away single to center field and Guerrero stepped in looking for a curveball. Ohtani threw a sweeper up and he sent it soaring over the left-center wall. It was his initial long hit of the series and his seventh home run this postseason – a new club mark – regaining the Blue Jays's lead after 13 shutout frames and changing the tone of the game.

Shohei's Night

That swing also halted Ohtani's record-setting streak of 11 straight plate appearances getting on base. The two-way star had hit two home runs and got on base a historic nine times in the Dodgers' third game walk-off. But on Tuesday, he started on limited rest – his shortest ever – after needing an IV to recuperate from the previous marathon.

Ohtani fastball velocity was below his regular-season average and he struggled more as the contest progressed. Nonetheless, he showed flashes of his typical command, setting down 11 of 12 after Guerrero's homer and fanning six. He even drew a walk in the first to extend his Fall Classic record. But the Toronto made him work: six hits and four earned runs were charged to him in over six frames.

Late Game Rally

The larger issue for the Dodgers was what followed when Ohtani finally ran out of energy.

Varsho opened the seventh inning with a sharp hit to right, and Ernie Clement drilled a two-base hit off the fence to put two on with no outs. Dave Roberts had little choice but to pull the starter, who departed to a standing ovation from the home crowd. The Dodgers' bullpen could not complete the inning.

Banda inherited the jam and immediately trailed in the count. Giménez battled to a 3-2 count before scoring the runner with a base hit to left. France followed with a groundout to make it 4-1, and that was enough to knock the pitcher out of the contest. Blake Treinen came in next but also failed to stem the momentum: Bo Bichette and Barger punched RBI base hits through the infield, completing a four-run barrage that pushed the lead to 6-1.

Blue Jays's Toughness

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

Shane Bieber, in contrast, was exactly what the Blue Jays needed. Traded for during the summer while completing rehab from elbow surgery, the ex- award-winning winner stranded several baserunners and quieted the Dodgers' potent batting order. He gave up one run on four hits and three free passes before Schneider summoned first-year left-hander Mason Fluharty to confront the core of the order in the sixth. He required just 4 throws to get out Muncy and Edman, protecting a narrow lead that quickly became safe.

Converted starting pitcher Chris Bassitt then pitched a clean seventh and eighth as the Dodgers' offense continued to sputter. Los Angeles have produced only 3 runs over their previous 20 innings, an abrupt downturn for a club that was among MLB's elite lineups all season.

Closing Moments

The Dodgers scraped a run in the ninth inning when Edman hit into an out to score Teoscar Hernández after a base on balls and Max Muncy's double put two aboard. But Varland finished the game without permitting a rally to build.

After a game when Toronto left a World Series-record 19 runners and fell apart after repeated of wasted chances, the fourth contest was ruthlessly efficient. 6 different Toronto players collected hits, 5 brought home scores and the team converted almost every run-scoring chance available in the late stanzas.

Looking Ahead

The victory guarantees the championship title will be awarded at their home stadium, where the Toronto have not celebrated a championship since Carter's iconic walk-off homer in 1993. They now are aware they are guaranteed a packed house in Toronto on Friday night – and perhaps the next day – no matter what happens next in LA.

Game 5 looms with the series reset and energy swinging to Toronto. Los Angeles pitcher Blake Snell (3-1, 2.42 ERA) will try to arrest the Toronto's surge. The Blue Jays counter with first-year player Yesavage (2-1, 4.26 ERA) in a rematch of the opener, when the Toronto chased the starter quickly in an decisive victory.