Vladimir Guerrero Jr Homers against Shohei Ohtani as Blue Jays See Off Los Angeles to Tie Series at 2-2

Only 24 hours after staggering through one of the most draining losses in Fall Classic annals, the Blue Jays displayed complete command.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr smashed a two-run homer and Bieber delivered a composed start as Toronto defeated the Los Angeles Dodgers 6-2 in the fourth game on Tuesday night at Dodger Stadium, tying the Fall Classic at two games each and ensuring the matchup will return to Toronto.

Toronto had passed the early hours of the next day dealing with their 18-inning Game 3 loss – equal to the longest Fall Classic contest ever – a loss that cost them the chance to take the lead in the series and burned through both relief corps. Skipper John Schneider stated afterwards that “the Dodgers took a game, not the World Series”. Twenty-three hours later, his squad provided emphatic proof.

Initial Innings

The Los Angeles again scored first. Muncy drew a walk in the second, advanced on a single and crossed the plate on Hernández's sacrifice fly. But the early breakthrough did not rattle a Blue Jays club that led MLB with 49 come-from-behind victories this year.

They answered immediately in the third. Lukes lined a one-out single to center field and Vladimir Guerrero Jr stepped in looking for a breaking ball. Shohei Ohtani threw a sweeper up and he drove it soaring over the left-center wall. It was his initial extra-base hit of the World Series and his seventh home run this postseason – a fresh club mark – restoring the Blue Jays's advantage after 13 scoreless frames and changing the tone of the night.

Ohtani's Performance

That swing also ended Ohtani's history-making run of 11 straight plate appearances reaching base. The dual-threat star had hit two homers and reached safely a historic nine times in the Dodgers' third game comeback win. But on Tuesday, he took the mound on short rest – his shortest ever – after requiring an IV to recuperate from the prior extra-inning game.

Ohtani fastball velocity was below his seasonal average and he struggled more as the game progressed. Even so, he showed flashes of his usual control, retiring 11 of 12 after Guerrero's blast and fanning six. He even drew a walk in the first inning to continue his Fall Classic record. But the Toronto made him work: six hits and four earned runs were charged to him in over six frames.

Seventh Inning Surge

The bigger issue for the Dodgers was what came next when he finally lost steam.

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

Anthony Banda inherited the mess and immediately trailed in the count. Andrés Giménez fought to a 3-2 count before driving in the runner with a base hit to left field. Ty France came up next with a fielder's choice to make it 4-1, and that was sufficient to knock Banda out of the contest. Treinen entered next but also failed to stem the momentum: Bo Bichette and Addison Barger hit RBI singles through the diamond, completing a four-score barrage that pushed the lead to 6-1.

Blue Jays's Toughness

The Toronto's ability to absorb initial blows and answer has defined their entire run. They once again succeeded without Springer, the injured leadoff man who left the third game after straining his right side.

Bieber, in contrast, was exactly what Toronto needed. Acquired mid-season while completing recovery from Tommy John surgery, the ex- Cy Young winner stranded multiple runners and silenced the Dodgers' dangerous lineup. He gave up one earned run on four hits and three walks before Schneider summoned rookie left-hander Fluharty to face the core of the order in the sixth. Fluharty required just 4 throws to retire Max Muncy and Tommy Edman, protecting a narrow lead that soon grew safe.

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

Final Moments

The Los Angeles scraped a score in the ninth when Edman grounded out to bring home Teoscar Hernández after a walk and Muncy's double put two on base. But Louis Varland finished the game without permitting a comeback to develop.

Following a game when Toronto stranded a Fall Classic-record 19 runners and collapsed after wave upon wave of wasted chances, Game 4 was ruthlessly efficient. 6 separate Blue Jays collected hits, 5 brought home scores and the team cashed almost every run-scoring opportunity presented in the final stanzas.

Next Up

The victory guarantees the World Series trophy will be presented at their home stadium, where the Toronto have not won a title since Joe Carter's iconic game-winning homer in '93. They now are aware they are assured a packed house in Canada on Friday evening – and perhaps the next day – no matter what occurs next in Los Angeles.

The fifth game looms with the matchup reset and energy shifting to Toronto. Dodgers left-hander Snell (3-1, 2.42 ERA) will attempt to arrest the Toronto's momentum. Toronto counter with first-year player Trey Yesavage (2-1, 4.26 ERA) in a rematch of Game 1, when the Blue Jays chased the starter early in an decisive win.