🔗 Share this article

Only 24 hours following staggering through one of the most draining losses in World Series history, the Toronto Blue Jays displayed complete control.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr smashed a two-run homer and Bieber delivered a composed start as Toronto beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 6-2 in the fourth game on Tuesday night at their home ballpark, squaring the Fall Classic at two wins apiece and ensuring the series will head back to Canada.

Toronto had spent the morning of the next day dealing with their 18-inning third game defeat – equal to the lengthiest World Series game ever – a defeat that cost them the chance to lead the matchup and depleted both bullpens. Manager Schneider insisted later that “they won a contest, not the World Series”. A day later, his squad offered convincing proof.

Initial Action

The Los Angeles again struck first. Max Muncy drew a walk in the second inning, moved up on a base hit and scored on Hernández's fly out. But the initial breakthrough did not shake a Blue Jays team that led MLB with 49 comeback wins this season.

They responded immediately in the third. Nathan Lukes hit a one-out single to centre and Guerrero came to the plate hunting a breaking ball. Shohei Ohtani threw a slider up and Guerrero drove it soaring over the left-center wall. It was his initial long hit of the World Series and his seventh homer this playoffs – a new team mark – restoring the Toronto's lead after 13 scoreless frames and changing the tone of the game.

Ohtani's Night

That swing also halted Ohtani's record-setting run of 11 straight at-bats reaching base. The two-way star had smashed two homers and got on base a historic nine times in the Los Angeles' Game 3 comeback win. But on that night, he started on limited rest – his shortest ever – after needing an IV to recuperate from the prior marathon.

Ohtani pitch speed was under his regular-season norm and he labored more as the game wore on. Even so, he showed flashes of his usual command, setting down 11 of 12 after Guerrero's blast and fanning six. He even drew a walk in the first inning to continue his Fall Classic streak. But the Blue Jays made him work: six hits and four runs were charged to him in over six innings.

Seventh Inning Rally

The bigger issue for the Dodgers was what came next when he eventually lost steam.

Varsho started the seventh inning with a clean hit to right, and Clement drilled a double off the wall to put two on with no outs. Dave Roberts had little choice but to pull Ohtani, who departed to a standing ovation from the home crowd. The Dodgers' relief corps could not complete the escape.

Anthony Banda came into the mess and immediately fell behind. Andrés Giménez fought to a full 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 contest. Treinen entered next but also was unable to stem the momentum: Bichette and Addison Barger hit RBI base hits through the infield, capping a four-run barrage that extended the margin to 6-1.

Toronto's Toughness

The Blue Jays's capacity to absorb early setbacks and respond has characterized their entire postseason. They once again did it without George Springer, the injured top-of-the-order man who left Game 3 after tweaking his right side.

Bieber, meanwhile, was exactly what the Blue Jays needed. Acquired during the summer while completing recovery from Tommy John surgery, the ex- award-winning winner left multiple runners and quieted the Dodgers' dangerous lineup. He gave up one run on four base hits and three walks before the manager called on rookie pitcher Fluharty to confront the core of the order in the sixth inning. He required just four pitches to get out Max Muncy and Edman, protecting a narrow advantage that quickly grew comfortable.

Former starting pitcher Bassitt then worked a scoreless seventh and eighth as the Los Angeles' offense continued to struggle. The Dodgers have produced only 3 runs over their last 20 frames, an sudden downturn for a club that ranked among baseball's top offenses all season.

Closing Moments

The Los Angeles scraped a run in the ninth when Edman hit into an out to score Hernández after a walk and Max Muncy's two-base hit put runners aboard. But Louis Varland closed it down without allowing a comeback to build.

After a night when the Blue Jays stranded a World Series-record 19 baserunners and collapsed after repeated of wasted opportunities, Game 4 was ruthlessly efficient. Six separate Toronto players collected base hits, five drove in scores and the squad converted nearly every scoring opportunity presented in the late innings.

Looking Ahead

The win guarantees the championship trophy will be awarded at their home stadium, where the Blue Jays have not won a title since Joe Carter's famous game-winning homer in 1993. They now know they are assured a full house in Toronto on Friday night – and perhaps Saturday – no matter what occurs next in Los Angeles.

The fifth game looms with the series reset and energy swinging to Toronto. Dodgers pitcher Snell (3-1, 2.42 ERA) will try to halt the Blue Jays's momentum. The Blue Jays respond with rookie Yesavage (2-1, 4.26 ERA) in a rematch of the opener, when the Blue Jays knocked out the starter early in an 11-4 win.