🔗 Share this article

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

Vladimir Guerrero Jr smashed a two-run homer and Bieber provided a steady start as Toronto defeated the Los Angeles Dodgers 6-2 in Game 4 on Tuesday night at Dodger Stadium, squaring the World Series at two games each and guaranteeing the matchup will head back to Canada.

The Blue Jays had spent the morning of Tuesday processing their marathon Game 3 loss – tied for the lengthiest World Series game ever – a defeat that cost them the chance to take the lead in the series and burned through both bullpens. Manager Schneider insisted later that “they took a game, not the championship”. A day later, his team provided convincing evidence.

Early Innings

The Dodgers again struck first. Muncy walked in the second inning, advanced on a single and scored on Hernández's fly out. But the initial score did not shake a Toronto club that topped MLB with 49 comeback wins this year.

They answered right away in the third inning. Nathan Lukes hit a one-out single to centre and Guerrero stepped in looking for a breaking ball. Shohei Ohtani left a sweeper up and Guerrero sent it screaming over the left-center wall. It was his initial long hit of the series and his seventh homer this playoffs – a new club mark – regaining the Toronto's advantage after 13 scoreless innings and shifting the momentum of the game.

Ohtani's Night

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

Ohtani pitch speed was below his regular-season norm and he labored more as the game progressed. Nonetheless, he showed glimpses of his usual control, retiring 11 of 12 after Guerrero's blast and fanning six. He even drew a walk in the first to extend his Fall Classic streak. But the Toronto made him work: six base hits and four runs were charged to him in six-plus innings.

Seventh Inning Rally

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

Daulton Varsho opened the seventh with a sharp single to right field, and Ernie Clement smashed a two-base hit off the wall to put runners on with none out. Dave Roberts had little choice but to remove the starter, who exited to a standing ovation from the home crowd. The Los Angeles' relief corps could not finish the escape.

Banda came into the mess and immediately fell behind. Giménez battled to a full count before scoring the runner with a single to left. France came up next with a fielder's choice to make it 4-1, and that was enough to knock Banda out of the game. Blake Treinen came in next but also was unable to stem the momentum: Bichette and Barger hit run-scoring singles through the diamond, completing a four-run outburst that pushed the lead to 6-1.

Toronto's Toughness

The Toronto's capacity to absorb initial setbacks and answer has characterized their whole run. They once again succeeded without Springer, the injured leadoff hitter who exited the third game after tweaking his right side.

Shane Bieber, meanwhile, was everything the Blue Jays required. Traded for during the summer while finishing rehab from Tommy John surgery, the ex- award-winning winner left several runners and silenced the Los Angeles' potent batting order. He allowed one earned run on four base hits and three walks before the manager called on rookie left-hander Fluharty to confront the core of the lineup in the sixth. Fluharty needed just four throws to get out Muncy and Tommy Edman, preserving a fragile lead that soon grew safe.

Converted starter Bassitt then pitched a clean seventh and eighth innings as the Dodgers' bats continued to struggle. Los Angeles have scored only 3 scores over their previous 20 frames, an sudden slowdown for a team that was among baseball's elite lineups all season.

Final Moments

The Dodgers managed a score in the ninth when Edman hit into an out to bring home Teoscar Hernández after a walk and Muncy's double put two aboard. But Varland closed it down without allowing a rally to develop.

Following a night when Toronto stranded a Fall Classic-record 19 runners and fell apart after repeated of wasted chances, Game 4 was ruthlessly efficient. Six different Blue Jays collected base hits, five drove in runs and the team converted nearly every scoring chance available in the late innings.

Looking Ahead

The win ensures the championship trophy will be awarded at their home stadium, where the Blue Jays have not celebrated a championship since Carter's famous game-winning homer in 1993. They now are aware they are assured a packed crowd in Toronto on Friday evening – and perhaps Saturday – no matter what occurs next in Los Angeles.

Game 5 looms with the matchup even and momentum swinging to Toronto. Dodgers pitcher Snell (3-1, 2.42 ERA) will try to halt the Blue Jays's momentum. The Blue Jays respond with first-year player Yesavage (2-1, 4.26 ERA) in a repeat of the opener, when the Toronto knocked out Snell quickly in an 11-4 win.