Guerrero Homers off Shohei Ohtani as Blue Jays Defeat Dodgers to Tie Series at 2-2

Less than a day following staggering through one of the most exhausting losses in World Series history, the Toronto Blue Jays displayed complete command.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr crushed a two-run homer and Shane Bieber delivered a steady outing as Toronto beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 6-2 in the fourth game on Tuesday night at Dodger Stadium, tying the World Series at two wins apiece and guaranteeing the matchup will return to Canada.

Toronto had passed the morning of the next day processing their 18-inning third game defeat – tied for the longest World Series contest ever – a defeat that denied them the chance to lead the matchup and burned through both bullpens. Manager Schneider insisted later that “they took a game, not the championship”. Twenty-three hours later, his squad offered convincing evidence.

Early Innings

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

They responded right away in the third. 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 he drove it screaming over the outfield fence. It was his first extra-base hit of the series and his seventh homer this postseason – a fresh team mark – regaining the Blue Jays's advantage after 13 scoreless innings and shifting the tone of the game.

Ohtani's Night

That swing also ended Ohtani's history-making streak of 11 straight at-bats reaching base. The dual-threat 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 took the mound on limited rest – his shortest ever – after requiring an IV to recover from the prior marathon.

His pitch speed sat below his seasonal norm and he struggled more as the game progressed. Even so, he showed glimpses of his typical command, retiring 11 of 12 after Guerrero Jr's blast and striking out six. He even walked in the first inning to extend his World Series streak. But the Toronto forced him to labor: six base hits and four runs were credited to him in six-plus frames.

Seventh Inning Surge

The larger issue for Los Angeles was what followed when Ohtani finally lost energy.

Varsho opened the seventh inning with a clean hit to right, and Ernie Clement smashed a two-base hit off the fence to put runners on with no outs. Roberts had no option but to remove the starter, who exited to a roaring applause from the home crowd. The Dodgers' bullpen could not finish the escape.

Anthony Banda inherited the mess and immediately fell behind. Giménez battled to a 3-2 count before driving in the runner with a single to left. 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 stop the rally: Bichette and Addison Barger punched run-scoring base hits through the diamond, completing a four-score barrage that extended the margin to 6-1.

Toronto's Toughness

The Toronto's ability to withstand initial setbacks and answer has defined their whole postseason. They once again succeeded without George Springer, the hurt top-of-the-order hitter who left the third game after tweaking his right side.

Shane Bieber, meanwhile, was everything Toronto required. Traded for mid-season while completing recovery from Tommy John surgery, the ex- Cy Young winner stranded several baserunners and silenced the Los Angeles' potent batting order. He gave up one earned run on four hits and three free passes before the manager called on rookie left-hander Mason Fluharty to confront the core of the lineup in the sixth inning. He required just four throws to get out Muncy and Tommy Edman, preserving a fragile lead that soon grew comfortable.

Former starting pitcher Bassitt then worked a clean seventh and eighth innings as the Dodgers' offense continued to sputter. The Dodgers have scored only 3 runs over their previous 20 frames, an abrupt downturn for a club that was among MLB's elite lineups all season.

Final Innings

The Los Angeles scraped a run in the ninth inning when Edman grounded out to bring home Hernández after a base on balls and Max Muncy's double put runners on base. But Louis Varland finished the game without allowing a comeback to build.

After a night when Toronto stranded a Fall Classic-record 19 runners and collapsed after wave upon wave of missed chances, the fourth contest was brutally effective. Six different Toronto players collected hits, 5 brought home scores and the squad cashed almost every run-scoring chance available in the late stanzas.

Next Up

The win ensures the World Series trophy will be presented at their home stadium, where the Toronto have not won a title since Carter's iconic walk-off homer in 1993. They now are aware they are assured a packed house in Toronto on Friday evening – and perhaps Saturday – no matter what occurs next in LA.

Game 5 approaches with the matchup reset and momentum swinging to Toronto. Dodgers left-hander Blake Snell (3-1, 2.42 ERA) will attempt to arrest the Toronto's momentum. The Blue Jays counter with first-year player Trey Yesavage (2-1, 4.26 ERA) in a repeat of the opener, when the Blue Jays chased Snell early in an 11-4 victory.