🔗 Share this article

Only 24 hours following staggering through one of the most draining defeats in Fall Classic annals, the Toronto Blue Jays displayed total control.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr smashed a two-run homer and Bieber provided a steady outing as the Blue Jays beat the Dodgers 6-2 in the fourth game on Tuesday evening at their home ballpark, tying the Fall Classic at two wins apiece and ensuring the series will return to Canada.

The Blue Jays had passed the early hours of the next day processing their marathon third game defeat – tied for the lengthiest World Series contest ever – a loss that denied them the chance to take the lead in the series and burned through both bullpens. Skipper Schneider stated later that “the Dodgers won a contest, not the World Series”. Twenty-three hours later, his squad provided convincing proof.

Early Innings

The Los Angeles again struck first. Muncy drew a walk in the second inning, advanced on a base hit and crossed the plate on Hernández's fly out. But the early score did not shake a Toronto team that led MLB with 49 comeback victories this season.

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

Shohei's Performance

That hit also ended Ohtani's record-setting run of 11 straight at-bats reaching base. The two-way star had smashed two home runs and reached safely a record nine times in the Los Angeles' third game walk-off. But on Tuesday, he started on limited rest – his briefest ever – after needing an IV to recover from the prior marathon.

Ohtani pitch speed was below his regular-season norm and he labored more as the contest wore on. Nonetheless, he displayed glimpses of his typical control, retiring 11 of 12 after Guerrero's homer and striking out six. He even drew a walk in the first to extend his Fall Classic streak. But the Blue Jays forced him to labor: six base hits and four runs were credited to him in over six frames.

Late Game Surge

The larger problem for the Dodgers was what followed when Ohtani finally lost steam.

Varsho opened the seventh with a clean single to right field, and Clement drilled a double off the fence to put two on with no outs. Roberts had little choice but to remove the starter, who exited to a standing ovation from the local fans. The Dodgers' relief corps could not finish the escape.

Banda inherited 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. Ty France came up next with a groundout to make it 4-1, and that was sufficient to knock Banda out of the game. Treinen entered next but also failed to stem the rally: Bichette and Barger punched run-scoring base hits through the infield, completing a four-run barrage that extended the margin to 6-1.

Toronto's Toughness

The Toronto's ability to withstand early setbacks and respond has defined their entire postseason. They once again did it without George Springer, the hurt leadoff hitter who left the third game after tweaking his oblique.

Shane Bieber, in contrast, was exactly what Toronto required. Acquired mid-season while completing recovery from Tommy John surgery, the former award-winning winner stranded multiple runners and quieted the Los Angeles' potent lineup. He allowed one run on four base hits and three free passes before Schneider summoned rookie left-hander Fluharty to face the core of the order in the sixth inning. He needed just 4 pitches to retire Muncy and Tommy Edman, preserving a narrow advantage that soon grew comfortable.

Converted starting pitcher Chris Bassitt then worked a clean seventh and eighth innings as the Dodgers' offense kept to sputter. The Dodgers have scored only three scores over their last 20 frames, an abrupt downturn for a club that was among MLB's elite lineups all year.

Final Moments

The Dodgers scraped a run in the ninth inning when Tommy Edman grounded out to score Hernández after a base on balls and Muncy's double put two aboard. But Louis Varland closed it down without allowing a rally to develop.

After a night when the Blue Jays stranded a Fall Classic-record 19 baserunners and collapsed after repeated of missed opportunities, Game 4 was ruthlessly effective. Six different Toronto players collected base hits, five brought home scores and the team converted nearly every scoring opportunity presented in the late stanzas.

Next Up

The win guarantees the championship trophy will be awarded at Rogers Centre, where the Blue Jays have not celebrated a championship since Carter's iconic game-winning home run in '93. They now know they are guaranteed a full house in Canada on Friday night – and possibly the next day – no matter what occurs next in LA.

The fifth game looms with the series even and momentum shifting to Toronto. Los Angeles pitcher Snell (3-1, 2.42 ERA) will try to arrest the Toronto's momentum. Toronto respond with first-year player Yesavage (2-1, 4.26 ERA) in a repeat of Game 1, when the Toronto chased Snell early in an 11-4 win.