🔗 Share this article

Only 24 hours following staggering through one of the most exhausting losses in World Series history, the Blue Jays played with complete control.

Guerrero smashed a two-run homer and Bieber delivered a composed outing as the Blue Jays beat the Dodgers 6-2 in Game 4 on Tuesday night at Dodger Stadium, squaring the Fall Classic at two wins apiece and guaranteeing the series will head back to Toronto.

The Blue Jays had passed the early hours of the next day dealing with their 18-inning Game 3 loss – tied for the lengthiest Fall Classic contest ever – a loss that cost them the opportunity to take the lead in the matchup and burned through both bullpens. Manager John Schneider stated later that “the Dodgers took a game, not the World Series”. A day later, his squad offered convincing evidence.

Initial Action

The Los Angeles again scored first. Max Muncy walked in the second inning, advanced on a base hit and crossed the plate on Kiké Hernández's sacrifice fly. But the early score did not rattle a Toronto team that topped MLB with 49 come-from-behind victories this year.

They responded immediately in the third. Lukes lined a one-out base hit to centre and Vladimir Guerrero Jr came to the plate hunting a breaking ball. Shohei Ohtani left a slider up and he drove it soaring over the left-center wall. It was his first extra-base hit of the World Series and his seventh home run this postseason – a new club mark – regaining the Toronto's lead after 13 scoreless frames and shifting the momentum of the game.

Ohtani's Night

That swing also halted Shohei Ohtani's record-setting run of 11 consecutive plate appearances reaching base. The two-way phenomenon had hit two homers and got on base a historic nine times in the Dodgers' Game 3 walk-off. But on that night, he took the mound on short rest – his briefest ever – after needing an IV to recuperate from the prior marathon.

Ohtani fastball velocity was below his seasonal average and he labored more as the game progressed. Even so, he displayed flashes of his usual command, retiring 11 of 12 after Guerrero Jr's homer and striking out six. He even drew a walk in the first inning to extend his World Series record. But the Toronto made him work: six hits and four runs were charged to him in six-plus frames.

Seventh Inning Rally

The bigger issue for the Dodgers was what came next when Ohtani eventually ran out of steam.

Varsho started the seventh with a clean single to right, and Clement drilled a two-base hit off the wall to put runners on with none out. Roberts had little choice but to pull Ohtani, who exited to a standing ovation from the local fans. The Los Angeles' bullpen could not complete the inning.

Anthony Banda inherited the mess and immediately trailed in the count. Giménez battled to a full count before driving in Varsho with a base hit to left field. France came up next with a groundout to make it 4-1, and that was sufficient to remove Banda out of the game. Blake Treinen came in next but also failed to stem the rally: Bichette and Addison Barger hit run-scoring singles through the infield, capping a four-run barrage that pushed the margin to 6-1.

Toronto's Toughness

The Toronto's ability to withstand early blows and respond has characterized their entire postseason. They once again succeeded without Springer, the hurt leadoff man who exited the third game after straining his oblique.

Bieber, in contrast, was everything the Blue Jays needed. Acquired during the summer while finishing rehab from elbow surgery, the ex- award-winning winner left several baserunners and silenced the Dodgers' potent lineup. He allowed one earned run on four hits and three walks before Schneider summoned rookie left-hander Fluharty to confront the heart of the order in the sixth inning. Fluharty needed just four pitches to retire Max Muncy and Edman, preserving a fragile lead that soon became comfortable.

Former starter Bassitt then worked a clean seventh and eighth as the Los Angeles' offense continued to struggle. The Dodgers have produced only 3 scores over their previous 20 frames, an sudden downturn for a club that was among baseball's top offenses all year.

Final Innings

The Los Angeles managed a score in the ninth inning when Edman hit into an out to bring home Hernández after a walk and Muncy's two-base hit put two aboard. But Varland finished the game without allowing a rally to build.

After a game when the Blue Jays left a World Series-record 19 runners and collapsed after repeated of wasted chances, Game 4 was ruthlessly effective. 6 different Toronto players collected hits, 5 brought home scores and the team converted nearly every scoring opportunity available in the final innings.

Next Up

The win ensures the World Series trophy will be awarded at Rogers Centre, where the Toronto have not celebrated a title since Joe Carter's iconic game-winning home run in 1993. They now are aware they are assured a full house in Canada on Friday night – and possibly Saturday – no matter what happens next in Los Angeles.

The fifth game approaches with the matchup even and momentum shifting to Toronto. Los Angeles left-hander Snell (3-1, 2.42 ERA) will try to halt the Toronto's momentum. The Blue Jays respond with first-year player Trey Yesavage (2-1, 4.26 ERA) in a rematch of Game 1, when the Toronto knocked out the starter early in an decisive victory.