Guerrero Homers against Ohtani as Toronto Defeat Dodgers to Level World Series at 2-2

Only 24 hours following enduring one of the most exhausting defeats in Fall Classic annals, the Toronto Blue Jays played with complete command.

Guerrero crushed a two-run home run and Shane Bieber provided a composed start as the Blue Jays defeated the Dodgers 6-2 in the fourth game on Tuesday evening at Dodger Stadium, squaring the Fall Classic at two wins apiece and guaranteeing the series will head back to Canada.

The Blue Jays had passed the early hours of Tuesday dealing with their marathon third game defeat – tied for the longest Fall Classic contest ever – a defeat that denied them the chance to lead the series and depleted both bullpens. Manager John Schneider stated afterwards that “the Dodgers took a contest, not the World Series”. Twenty-three hours later, his squad offered emphatic evidence.

Early Innings

The Dodgers again struck first. Max Muncy drew a walk in the second inning, moved up on a single and scored on Hernández's sacrifice fly. But the early breakthrough did not shake a Blue Jays club that led MLB with 49 comeback wins this season.

They responded right away in the third inning. Lukes lined a one-out single to centre and Guerrero stepped in looking for a curveball. Ohtani threw a sweeper up and Guerrero drove it screaming over the outfield fence. It was his initial long hit of the series and his 7th home run this playoffs – a fresh club mark – restoring the Toronto's lead after 13 scoreless frames and changing the tone of the game.

Ohtani's Night

That swing also halted Shohei Ohtani's record-setting run of 11 straight at-bats getting on base. The dual-threat star had smashed two homers and got on base a historic nine times in the Dodgers' third game walk-off. But on Tuesday, he took the mound on short rest – his shortest ever – after requiring an IV to recuperate from the previous marathon.

His fastball velocity sat under his seasonal average and he labored more as the contest progressed. Nonetheless, he displayed flashes of his usual command, setting down 11 of 12 after Guerrero's homer and striking out six. He even drew a walk in the first to continue his Fall Classic streak. But the Blue Jays made him work: six hits and four earned runs were credited to him in six-plus frames.

Late Game Surge

The bigger problem for the Dodgers was what came next when Ohtani finally lost steam.

Daulton Varsho started the seventh with a sharp hit to right field, and Ernie Clement smashed a double off the fence to put runners on with none out. Dave Roberts had no option but to pull the starter, who exited to a roaring applause from the local fans. The Los Angeles' bullpen could not complete the escape.

Anthony Banda inherited the jam and right away fell behind. Andrés Giménez battled to a 3-2 count before driving in Varsho with a base hit to left. France came up next with a groundout to make it 4-1, and that was enough to remove Banda out of the contest. Treinen came in next but also was unable to stem the momentum: Bichette and Barger hit run-scoring base hits through the infield, capping a four-score outburst that extended the margin to 6-1.

Toronto's Resilience

The Blue Jays's ability to withstand initial setbacks and respond has characterized their entire run. They once again succeeded without Springer, the hurt leadoff man who left Game 3 after straining his right side.

Bieber, in contrast, was exactly what the Blue Jays needed. Acquired during the summer while finishing recovery from elbow surgery, the ex- Cy Young winner stranded multiple baserunners and silenced the Dodgers' dangerous lineup. He gave up one earned run on four base hits and three walks before Schneider summoned rookie left-hander Fluharty to face the heart of the order in the sixth inning. He required just 4 pitches to get out Muncy and Edman, protecting a fragile lead that quickly grew comfortable.

Former starter Bassitt then pitched a scoreless seventh and eighth innings as the Los Angeles' bats kept to struggle. The Dodgers have produced only 3 scores over their last 20 innings, an sudden slowdown for a club that ranked among MLB's elite offenses all year.

Closing Innings

The Dodgers managed a score in the ninth when Tommy Edman hit into an out to score Hernández after a base on balls and Max Muncy's double put two aboard. But Louis Varland finished the game without permitting a comeback to build.

After a night when Toronto left a Fall Classic-record 19 baserunners and fell apart after wave upon wave of wasted chances, the fourth contest was brutally efficient. Six different Blue Jays recorded base hits, five drove in scores and the squad cashed nearly every scoring opportunity presented in the final innings.

Looking Ahead

The win guarantees the championship trophy will be awarded at Rogers Centre, where the Toronto have not celebrated a title since Carter's famous walk-off home run in 1993. They now know they are guaranteed a full crowd in Canada on Friday night – and perhaps the next day – no matter what happens next in LA.

The fifth game approaches with the series reset and energy shifting to Toronto. Dodgers pitcher Snell (3-1, 2.42 ERA) will try to arrest the Blue Jays's momentum. The Blue Jays respond with first-year player Yesavage (2-1, 4.26 ERA) in a rematch of Game 1, when the Toronto knocked out the starter early in an decisive win.