🔗 Share this article

Only 24 hours after staggering through one of the most exhausting defeats in Fall Classic history, the Toronto Blue Jays displayed total command.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr smashed a two-run homer and Shane Bieber provided a steady outing as Toronto defeated the Los Angeles Dodgers 6-2 in the fourth game on Tuesday night at Dodger Stadium, squaring the World Series at two wins apiece and ensuring the series will head back to Canada.

Toronto had passed the early hours of Tuesday dealing with their marathon third game defeat – tied for the lengthiest Fall Classic game ever – a defeat that denied them the opportunity to lead the series and depleted both relief corps. Manager Schneider insisted afterwards that “the Dodgers won a contest, not the championship”. A day later, his squad offered convincing evidence.

Initial Innings

The Dodgers again scored first. Max Muncy drew a walk in the second, advanced on a base hit and scored on Kiké Hernández's sacrifice fly. But the initial score did not rattle a Toronto club that topped MLB with 49 come-from-behind victories this year.

They responded immediately in the third. Lukes lined a one away base hit to centre and Guerrero came to the plate hunting a curveball. Ohtani threw a sweeper up and he drove it screaming over the outfield fence. It was his initial long hit of the series and his 7th home run this playoffs – a new team record – restoring the Blue Jays's advantage after 13 shutout frames and changing the tone of the game.

Ohtani's Performance

That swing also halted Shohei Ohtani's history-making run of 11 consecutive at-bats reaching base. The two-way phenomenon had hit two home runs and reached safely a record nine times in the Los Angeles' third game walk-off. But on Tuesday, he took the mound on short rest – his shortest ever – after needing an IV to recover from the prior extra-inning game.

His pitch speed was below his regular-season norm and he struggled more as the game wore on. Nonetheless, he showed flashes of his usual control, retiring 11 of 12 after Guerrero Jr's blast and fanning six. He even drew a walk in the first inning to continue his World Series streak. But the Toronto made him work: six hits and four runs were credited to him in six-plus innings.

Late Game Rally

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

Varsho started the seventh inning with a clean hit to right field, and Clement smashed a double off the wall to put two on with no outs. Dave Roberts had no option but to remove Ohtani, who departed to a roaring applause from the local fans. The Dodgers' relief corps could not complete the inning.

Banda inherited the mess and immediately trailed in the count. Andrés Giménez battled to a 3-2 count before driving in the runner with a single to left field. 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. Treinen came in next but also was unable to stem the momentum: Bichette and Barger hit RBI singles through the diamond, completing a four-run outburst that pushed the lead to 6-1.

Toronto's Toughness

The Blue Jays's ability to withstand early setbacks and answer has characterized their whole run. They once again succeeded without Springer, the injured top-of-the-order hitter who exited the third game after straining his oblique.

Shane Bieber, in contrast, was exactly what the Blue Jays needed. Acquired during the summer while completing recovery from Tommy John surgery, the ex- Cy Young winner stranded multiple baserunners and silenced the Los Angeles' dangerous lineup. He allowed one earned run on four hits and three walks before the manager called on first-year pitcher Mason Fluharty to confront the heart of the order in the sixth. He required just 4 pitches to retire Max Muncy and Edman, preserving a narrow lead that quickly became safe.

Converted starting pitcher Chris Bassitt then pitched a clean seventh and eighth innings as the Dodgers' offense kept to sputter. Los Angeles have produced only 3 scores over their previous 20 frames, an sudden slowdown for a club that ranked among MLB's top lineups all season.

Final Innings

The Dodgers scraped a score in the ninth when Edman grounded out to score Teoscar Hernández after a base on balls and Muncy's double put two on base. But Louis Varland closed it down without permitting a rally to build.

After a game when Toronto stranded a World Series-record 19 runners and collapsed after wave upon wave of missed chances, the fourth contest was ruthlessly effective. Six separate Toronto players recorded base hits, five brought home scores and the team cashed nearly every run-scoring chance available in the late stanzas.

Next Up

The win guarantees the championship title will be awarded at their home stadium, where the Toronto have not celebrated a championship since Joe Carter's famous walk-off home run in '93. They now are aware they are guaranteed a packed crowd in Canada on Friday evening – and perhaps Saturday – no matter what happens next in LA.

Game 5 approaches with the series reset and momentum shifting north. Dodgers pitcher Blake Snell (3-1, 2.42 ERA) will attempt to halt the Blue Jays's momentum. Toronto counter with first-year player Trey Yesavage (2-1, 4.26 ERA) in a rematch of the opener, when the Toronto chased the starter quickly in an 11-4 win.