Vladimir Guerrero Jr Blasts against Ohtani as Blue Jays Defeat Los Angeles to Level Series at 2-2

Only 24 hours after 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 delivered a steady outing as Toronto defeated the Dodgers 6-2 in the fourth game on Tuesday evening at their home ballpark, squaring the World Series at two wins apiece and ensuring the series will return to Canada.

Toronto had spent the morning of the next day dealing with their 18-inning third game defeat – tied for the longest World Series contest ever – a loss that denied them the opportunity to lead the matchup and burned through both relief corps. Skipper Schneider stated later that “they took a contest, not the championship”. Twenty-three hours later, his squad offered convincing evidence.

Early Innings

The Dodgers again scored first. Max Muncy walked in the second, moved up on a single and crossed the plate on Hernández's fly out. But the early score did not rattle a Blue Jays club that topped MLB with 49 come-from-behind wins this year.

They answered right away in the third. Nathan Lukes lined a one away base hit to centre and Guerrero came to the plate hunting a breaking ball. Shohei Ohtani threw a slider up and he sent it soaring over the outfield fence. It was his first extra-base hit of the series and his seventh homer this postseason – a new club mark – regaining the Blue Jays's lead after 13 shutout innings and shifting the tone of the night.

Ohtani's Night

That swing also halted Ohtani's history-making run of 11 consecutive at-bats getting on base. The dual-threat star had smashed two homers and reached safely a record nine times in the Dodgers' Game 3 comeback win. But on Tuesday, he took the mound on limited rest – his briefest ever – after requiring an IV to recuperate from the prior extra-inning game.

His fastball velocity was under his seasonal average and he labored more as the game progressed. Even so, he showed glimpses of his typical control, retiring 11 of 12 after Guerrero's blast and fanning six. He even drew a walk in the first to continue his World Series record. But the Blue Jays forced him to labor: six hits and four runs were charged to him in over six innings.

Late Game Rally

The larger issue for Los Angeles was what came next when he finally ran out of steam.

Daulton Varsho opened the seventh inning with a sharp hit to right field, and Clement smashed a two-base hit off the fence to put two on with none out. Dave Roberts had little choice but to pull Ohtani, who departed to a roaring applause from the home crowd. The Dodgers' relief corps could not finish the escape.

Anthony Banda inherited the mess and immediately trailed in the count. Giménez fought to a full count before driving in the runner with a single to left field. Ty France came up next with a fielder's choice to make it 4-1, and that was enough to knock Banda out of the contest. Treinen entered next but also failed to stop the momentum: Bichette and Addison Barger hit RBI singles through the diamond, completing a four-run outburst that extended the margin to 6-1.

Blue Jays's Resilience

The Blue Jays's capacity to withstand early blows and respond has defined their entire run. They once again did it without George Springer, the injured leadoff man who exited Game 3 after straining his oblique.

Bieber, meanwhile, was everything the Blue Jays required. Traded for during the summer while completing rehab from elbow surgery, the ex- Cy Young winner left several baserunners and silenced the Los Angeles' dangerous lineup. He gave up one earned run on four hits and three free passes before Schneider called on first-year pitcher Mason Fluharty to confront the heart of the lineup in the sixth inning. Fluharty needed just 4 pitches to retire Muncy and Edman, protecting a fragile advantage that soon became safe.

Former starting pitcher Bassitt then worked a clean seventh and eighth as the Dodgers' offense kept to sputter. Los Angeles have produced only three runs over their last 20 frames, an sudden downturn for a team that was among baseball's elite lineups all year.

Closing Innings

The Dodgers scraped a run in the ninth inning when Edman hit into an out to bring home Hernández after a walk and Muncy's double put two aboard. But Louis Varland closed it down without permitting a comeback to build.

After a game when the Blue Jays left a Fall Classic-record 19 runners and fell apart after repeated of missed chances, Game 4 was ruthlessly efficient. 6 separate Blue Jays collected hits, five drove in runs and the team cashed almost every scoring chance presented in the late stanzas.

Looking Ahead

The win ensures the championship trophy will be presented at their home stadium, where the Toronto have not won a championship since Carter's iconic walk-off home run in 1993. They now are aware they are guaranteed a packed crowd in Canada on Friday night – and perhaps Saturday – no matter what happens next in Los Angeles.

Game 5 approaches with the matchup even and energy swinging to Toronto. Los Angeles pitcher Snell (3-1, 2.42 ERA) will try to halt the Blue Jays's surge. The Blue Jays respond with first-year player Trey Yesavage (2-1, 4.26 ERA) in a repeat of Game 1, when the Toronto knocked out Snell early in an decisive win.