🔗 Share this article

Less than a day after enduring one of the most exhausting losses in Fall Classic history, the Blue Jays displayed complete command.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr crushed a two-run homer and Bieber provided a steady start as Toronto beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 6-2 in Game 4 on Tuesday evening at Dodger Stadium, squaring the Fall Classic at two wins apiece and ensuring the series will return to Toronto.

The Blue Jays had passed the morning of Tuesday dealing with their marathon third game defeat – equal to the longest Fall Classic contest ever – a defeat that cost them the opportunity to lead the series and depleted both bullpens. Manager John Schneider stated afterwards that “they won a game, not the championship”. Twenty-three hours later, his team provided emphatic proof.

Initial Innings

The Dodgers again scored first. Muncy drew a walk in the second, advanced on a single and scored on Hernández's fly out. But the initial breakthrough did not shake a Blue Jays club that topped Major League Baseball with 49 comeback wins this year.

They answered immediately in the third inning. Nathan Lukes lined a one away base hit to centre and Guerrero came to the plate hunting a curveball. Ohtani left a slider up and Guerrero drove it screaming over the outfield fence. It was his initial extra-base hit of the World Series and his seventh homer this postseason – a fresh club mark – regaining the Toronto's lead after 13 scoreless frames and shifting the momentum of the night.

Ohtani's Performance

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

Ohtani fastball velocity was below his regular-season average and he labored more as the contest wore on. Even so, he showed glimpses of his typical control, retiring 11 of 12 after Guerrero's blast and fanning six. He even walked in the first inning to extend his World Series record. But the Blue Jays made him work: six hits and four earned runs were charged to him in six-plus frames.

Seventh Inning Surge

The larger problem for the Dodgers was what came next when he finally lost steam.

Varsho started the seventh with a sharp single to right field, and Clement smashed a double off the wall to put runners on with none out. Dave Roberts had little choice but to remove the starter, who exited to a roaring applause from the local fans. The Dodgers' relief corps could not finish the inning.

Anthony Banda inherited the mess and right away trailed in the count. Giménez fought to a 3-2 count before driving in Varsho with a base hit to left. France came up next with a fielder's choice to make it 4-1, and that was enough to remove Banda out of the game. Blake Treinen entered next but also failed to stem the rally: Bo Bichette and Barger punched RBI singles through the diamond, completing a four-run outburst that pushed the margin to 6-1.

Blue Jays's Toughness

The Toronto's capacity to withstand early blows and respond has characterized their entire postseason. They once again succeeded without Springer, the injured leadoff man who exited Game 3 after tweaking his right side.

Bieber, meanwhile, was everything the Blue Jays required. Traded for during the summer while completing recovery from elbow surgery, the former Cy Young winner left several runners and quieted the Dodgers' potent batting order. He gave up one earned run on four hits and three free passes before the manager called on rookie pitcher Fluharty to confront the core of the lineup in the sixth inning. Fluharty required just 4 throws to get out Max Muncy and Tommy Edman, protecting a fragile lead that quickly became comfortable.

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

Final Moments

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

After a night when the Blue Jays left a World Series-record 19 baserunners and collapsed after repeated of missed chances, Game 4 was brutally efficient. Six separate Toronto players collected base hits, five brought home scores and the team cashed almost every run-scoring opportunity presented in the late stanzas.

Next Up

The victory ensures the World Series title will be presented at Rogers Centre, where the Toronto have not celebrated a championship since Joe Carter's famous walk-off homer in '93. They now are aware they are assured a packed house in Canada on Friday night – and possibly the next day – no matter what happens next in LA.

Game 5 approaches with the matchup even and energy swinging north. Los Angeles pitcher Snell (3-1, 2.42 ERA) will attempt to halt the Blue Jays's momentum. The Blue Jays counter with rookie Trey Yesavage (2-1, 4.26 ERA) in a rematch of the opener, when the Toronto knocked out the starter quickly in an 11-4 victory.