🔗 Share this article

Only 24 hours after enduring one of the most exhausting defeats in Fall Classic history, the Toronto Blue Jays displayed complete command.

Guerrero smashed a two-run home run and Bieber delivered a composed start as Toronto defeated the Los Angeles Dodgers 6-2 in the fourth game on Tuesday evening at Dodger Stadium, squaring the Fall Classic at two games each and guaranteeing the series will return to Toronto.

The Blue Jays had spent the early hours of the next day processing their 18-inning Game 3 loss – equal to the lengthiest Fall Classic game ever – a loss that cost them the chance to take the lead in the matchup and burned through both bullpens. Skipper John Schneider insisted afterwards that “the Dodgers took a game, not the championship”. Twenty-three hours later, his team provided convincing evidence.

Initial Action

The Dodgers again struck first. Muncy walked in the second inning, advanced on a single and crossed the plate on Hernández's fly out. But the early breakthrough did not rattle a Blue Jays team that led MLB with 49 comeback victories this year.

They responded immediately in the third. Nathan Lukes hit a one away base hit to centre and Guerrero stepped in hunting a breaking ball. Ohtani left a slider up and Guerrero sent it soaring over the left-center wall. It was his first extra-base hit of the series and his 7th home run this postseason – a new club mark – regaining the Blue Jays's lead after 13 shutout innings and shifting the momentum of the game.

Ohtani's Performance

That hit also halted Ohtani's history-making streak of 11 straight at-bats getting on base. The dual-threat star had hit two home runs and reached safely a historic nine times in the Dodgers' third game walk-off. But on Tuesday, he started on short rest – his briefest ever – after needing an IV to recuperate from the prior marathon.

Ohtani fastball velocity was under his regular-season norm and he labored more as the contest progressed. Nonetheless, he showed glimpses of his usual command, retiring 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 Toronto made him work: six hits and four earned runs were charged to him in six-plus frames.

Seventh Inning Rally

The bigger issue for Los Angeles was what followed when he eventually ran out of energy.

Daulton Varsho opened the seventh with a sharp hit to right field, and Clement smashed a two-base hit off the wall to put runners on with no outs. Dave Roberts had no option but to remove Ohtani, who exited to a standing ovation from the home crowd. The Los Angeles' bullpen could not complete the inning.

Banda came into the mess and right away trailed in the count. Andrés Giménez fought to a 3-2 count before scoring Varsho with a base hit to left field. Ty France followed with a groundout to make it 4-1, and that was sufficient to remove the pitcher out of the contest. Blake Treinen entered next but also failed to stem the rally: Bo Bichette and Addison Barger punched RBI singles through the infield, capping a four-run outburst that pushed the margin to 6-1.

Toronto's Toughness

The Blue Jays's ability to absorb early setbacks and respond has characterized their entire run. They once again did it without George Springer, the hurt top-of-the-order man who exited the third game after straining his right side.

Bieber, meanwhile, was everything Toronto required. Traded for during the summer while completing recovery from elbow surgery, the ex- award-winning winner stranded several runners and silenced the Los Angeles' potent lineup. He gave up one run on four hits and three free passes before Schneider called on first-year pitcher Mason Fluharty to face the heart of the order in the sixth. He required just four pitches to retire Muncy and Tommy Edman, protecting a narrow lead that soon grew safe.

Former starting pitcher Chris Bassitt then worked a scoreless seventh and eighth innings as the Dodgers' bats continued to struggle. Los Angeles have produced only 3 runs over their previous 20 frames, an abrupt slowdown for a team that was among MLB's elite offenses all year.

Final Moments

The Los Angeles scraped a run in the ninth when Edman grounded out to score Hernández after a walk and Max Muncy's two-base hit put two aboard. But Varland closed it down without permitting a rally to build.

Following a game when Toronto left a Fall Classic-record 19 baserunners and fell apart after repeated of missed chances, Game 4 was brutally efficient. Six different Blue Jays collected base hits, 5 drove in scores and the squad cashed nearly every scoring opportunity presented in the late stanzas.

Next Up

The victory ensures the championship trophy will be awarded at their home stadium, where the Blue Jays have not won a championship since Carter's iconic game-winning homer in '93. They now are aware they are guaranteed a packed house in Toronto on Friday night – and perhaps the next day – no matter what occurs next in LA.

The fifth game looms with the matchup reset and momentum swinging north. Los Angeles pitcher Blake Snell (3-1, 2.42 ERA) will try to arrest the Blue Jays's momentum. Toronto counter with rookie Yesavage (2-1, 4.26 ERA) in a repeat of Game 1, when the Blue Jays chased Snell quickly in an 11-4 win.