🔗 Share this article

Only 24 hours after enduring one of the most draining losses in Fall Classic history, the Blue Jays played with total command.

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

The Blue Jays had passed the early hours of Tuesday processing their 18-inning third game defeat – equal to the longest World Series game ever – a defeat that cost them the opportunity to lead the matchup and depleted both bullpens. Skipper John Schneider stated afterwards that “the Dodgers took a game, not the championship”. A day later, his team offered emphatic proof.

Initial Innings

The Los Angeles again scored first. Max Muncy drew a walk in the second inning, advanced on a single and crossed the plate on Hernández's fly out. But the initial breakthrough 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. Lukes hit a one away single to center field and Vladimir Guerrero Jr stepped in looking for a curveball. Ohtani left a slider up and Guerrero drove it soaring over the outfield fence. It was his initial extra-base hit of the series and his seventh homer this playoffs – a new club mark – regaining the Toronto's lead after 13 shutout frames and shifting the tone of the night.

Ohtani's Night

That hit also ended Shohei Ohtani's record-setting streak of 11 straight at-bats getting on base. The two-way phenomenon had hit two homers and got on base a historic nine times in the Los Angeles' third game walk-off. But on that night, he started on short rest – his shortest ever – after needing an IV to recuperate from the prior marathon.

His pitch speed was below his seasonal average and he struggled more as the contest progressed. Nonetheless, he showed glimpses 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 World Series streak. But the Toronto forced him to labor: six base hits and four earned runs were charged to him in over six innings.

Seventh Inning Rally

The larger problem for the Dodgers was what followed when Ohtani finally lost energy.

Varsho opened the seventh inning with a sharp hit to right, and Clement smashed a two-base hit off the fence to put two on with none out. Dave Roberts had little choice but to remove Ohtani, who exited to a roaring applause from the local fans. The Los Angeles' relief corps could not finish the escape.

Anthony Banda inherited the mess and immediately fell behind. Andrés Giménez battled to a 3-2 count before scoring Varsho with a base hit to left field. Ty France followed with a fielder's choice to make it 4-1, and that was enough to knock Banda out of the game. Treinen entered next but also was unable to stem the rally: Bo Bichette and Addison Barger punched RBI base hits through the infield, completing a four-run outburst that pushed the lead to 6-1.

Blue Jays's Resilience

The Toronto's ability to absorb early setbacks and respond has defined their whole run. They once again did it without George Springer, the hurt leadoff man who left Game 3 after straining his oblique.

Shane Bieber, in contrast, was exactly what the Blue Jays required. Acquired mid-season while completing rehab from elbow surgery, the ex- Cy Young winner stranded several baserunners and silenced the Dodgers' potent batting order. He gave up one run on four hits and three walks before Schneider summoned first-year left-hander Mason Fluharty to confront the core of the order in the sixth inning. He needed just 4 pitches to get out Muncy and Tommy Edman, protecting a fragile advantage that quickly became safe.

Converted starting pitcher Bassitt then worked a scoreless seventh and eighth as the Los Angeles' bats continued to sputter. The Dodgers have produced only 3 runs over their last 20 innings, an sudden downturn for a club that ranked among MLB's top offenses all season.

Final Moments

The Dodgers scraped a run in the ninth when Edman grounded out to bring home Teoscar Hernández after a walk and Max Muncy's double put runners aboard. But Varland finished the game without allowing a rally to develop.

Following a game when the Blue Jays stranded a World Series-record 19 baserunners and collapsed after wave upon wave of missed chances, the fourth contest was ruthlessly effective. Six different Blue Jays recorded base hits, five drove in scores and the team cashed nearly every scoring opportunity available in the final innings.

Looking Ahead

The victory guarantees the championship trophy will be presented at their home stadium, where the Blue Jays have not won a championship since Carter's iconic walk-off home run in 1993. They now know they are assured a full crowd in Toronto on Friday evening – and perhaps Saturday – no matter what occurs next in LA.

The fifth game approaches with the series reset and momentum shifting to Toronto. Dodgers left-hander Snell (3-1, 2.42 ERA) will attempt to halt the Blue Jays's surge. The Blue Jays respond with rookie Yesavage (2-1, 4.26 ERA) in a repeat of the opener, when the Blue Jays knocked out the starter early in an 11-4 win.