Guerrero Blasts off Shohei Ohtani as Toronto Defeat Los Angeles to Tie World Series at 2-2

Less than a day after staggering through one of the most draining defeats in Fall Classic history, the Toronto Blue Jays displayed complete command.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr smashed a two-run homer and Shane Bieber provided a steady outing as Toronto defeated the Los Angeles Dodgers 6-2 in Game 4 on Tuesday night at their home ballpark, tying the Fall Classic at two wins apiece and ensuring the series will return to Canada.

Toronto had spent the early hours of the next day processing their marathon Game 3 loss – equal to the longest Fall Classic game ever – a defeat that cost them the opportunity to lead the series and depleted both relief corps. Skipper John Schneider insisted afterwards that “they took a game, not the championship”. A day later, his team provided emphatic evidence.

Early Action

The Los Angeles again struck first. Muncy walked in the second inning, moved up on a single and scored on Kiké Hernández's fly out. But the initial breakthrough did not shake a Blue Jays club that led Major League Baseball with 49 come-from-behind wins this year.

They answered right away in the third. Lukes hit a one away base hit to centre and Vladimir Guerrero Jr came to the plate looking for a curveball. Ohtani left a sweeper up and Guerrero sent it screaming over the outfield fence. It was his first long hit of the series and his seventh home run this postseason – a new club mark – restoring the Toronto's advantage after 13 scoreless frames and changing the momentum of the game.

Ohtani's Performance

That swing also ended Ohtani's record-setting run of 11 straight at-bats reaching base. The two-way star had hit two home runs and got on base a record nine times in the Los Angeles' Game 3 comeback win. But on that night, he started on limited rest – his briefest ever – after requiring an IV to recuperate from the previous marathon.

Ohtani pitch speed was below his seasonal norm and he struggled more as the game wore on. Nonetheless, he displayed glimpses of his usual control, setting down 11 of 12 after Guerrero's blast and striking out six. He even walked in the first to extend his World Series record. But the Blue Jays made him work: six base hits and four earned runs were charged to him in over six frames.

Seventh Inning Surge

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

Varsho opened the seventh with a sharp hit to right field, and Clement smashed a two-base hit off the fence to put two on with none out. Dave Roberts had no option but to remove the starter, who exited to a standing ovation from the local fans. The Los Angeles' bullpen could not complete the inning.

Anthony Banda inherited the jam and right away fell behind. Andrés Giménez fought to a full count before scoring Varsho with a single to left field. Ty France followed 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 rally: Bichette and Barger hit RBI base hits through the infield, capping a four-score barrage that pushed the lead to 6-1.

Toronto's Resilience

The Blue Jays's capacity to withstand initial blows and respond has characterized their entire run. They once again did it without Springer, the injured leadoff man who left the third game after tweaking his right side.

Shane Bieber, meanwhile, was exactly what Toronto needed. Traded for mid-season while completing rehab from elbow surgery, the former Cy Young winner stranded multiple baserunners and quieted the Dodgers' potent lineup. He allowed one run on four hits and three free passes before the manager called on rookie left-hander Fluharty to confront the heart of the lineup in the sixth. Fluharty required just four throws to get out Muncy and Tommy Edman, preserving a narrow lead that soon became safe.

Converted starter Bassitt then pitched a scoreless seventh and eighth innings as the Los Angeles' offense continued to struggle. The Dodgers have scored only 3 runs over their previous 20 innings, an abrupt slowdown for a team that ranked among baseball's top lineups all year.

Final Moments

The Los Angeles managed a run in the ninth inning when Tommy Edman hit into an out to score Hernández after a base on balls and Max Muncy's double put runners on base. But Louis Varland finished the game without permitting a rally to build.

After a night when Toronto left a World Series-record 19 baserunners and fell apart after repeated of missed opportunities, Game 4 was ruthlessly efficient. Six different Toronto players collected base hits, five drove in scores and the squad cashed almost every run-scoring chance presented in the final stanzas.

Looking Ahead

The victory ensures the championship trophy will be presented at Rogers Centre, where the Blue Jays have not celebrated a championship since Carter's iconic game-winning home run in 1993. They now are aware they are assured a packed house in Canada on Friday night – and perhaps Saturday – no matter what happens next in Los Angeles.

The fifth game approaches with the matchup reset and momentum swinging north. Dodgers pitcher Blake Snell (3-1, 2.42 ERA) will try to arrest the Toronto's surge. Toronto respond with rookie Yesavage (2-1, 4.26 ERA) in a rematch of the opener, when the Blue Jays knocked out Snell early in an 11-4 win.