🔗 Share this article Guerrero Homers off Ohtani as Blue Jays Defeat Dodgers to Level Series at 2-2 Less than a day following staggering through one of the most exhausting losses in World Series history, the Blue Jays displayed complete command. Vladimir Guerrero Jr crushed a two-run homer and Bieber provided a composed outing as the Blue Jays beat the Dodgers 6-2 in Game 4 on Tuesday evening at Dodger Stadium, tying the World Series at two wins apiece and ensuring the matchup will head back to Toronto. The Blue Jays had passed the early hours of the next day processing their marathon third game defeat – equal to the lengthiest Fall Classic game ever – a loss that cost them the chance to lead the series and depleted both relief corps. Manager John Schneider insisted later that “the Dodgers won a game, not the World Series”. Twenty-three hours later, his squad provided convincing evidence. Early Innings The Los Angeles again struck first. Muncy drew a walk in the second inning, advanced 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 Major League Baseball with 49 come-from-behind victories this year. They responded right away in the third inning. Nathan Lukes lined a one-out single to centre and Vladimir Guerrero Jr stepped in hunting a breaking ball. Ohtani threw a sweeper up and he drove it screaming over the left-center wall. It was his first extra-base hit of the series and his seventh home run this playoffs – a fresh team record – restoring the Blue Jays's lead after 13 shutout innings and shifting the tone of the game. Shohei's Night That hit also halted Shohei Ohtani's history-making streak of 11 consecutive plate appearances reaching base. The two-way phenomenon had hit two homers and reached safely a record nine times in the Dodgers' third game walk-off. But on Tuesday, he started on short rest – his briefest ever – after needing an IV to recover from the previous extra-inning game. Ohtani fastball velocity was under his regular-season average and he labored more as the contest wore on. Nonetheless, he showed flashes of his typical control, retiring 11 of 12 after Guerrero Jr's blast and fanning six. He even walked in the first to extend his World Series record. But the Toronto made him work: six hits and four earned runs were charged to him in over six innings. Late Game Rally The larger issue for the Dodgers was what came next when he finally lost steam. Varsho started the seventh inning with a clean single to right, and Ernie Clement smashed a double off the fence to put runners on with no outs. Dave Roberts had little choice but to pull Ohtani, who departed to a standing ovation from the local fans. The Dodgers' relief corps could not finish the inning. Anthony Banda came into the mess and immediately trailed in the count. Andrés Giménez fought to a full count before scoring 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 contest. Blake Treinen came in next but also was unable to stop the momentum: Bichette and Barger punched run-scoring base hits through the infield, completing a four-run outburst that extended the margin to 6-1. Blue Jays's Resilience The Toronto's ability to absorb early setbacks and answer has defined their entire run. They once again succeeded without Springer, the hurt top-of-the-order man who exited the third game after straining his oblique. Shane Bieber, in contrast, was exactly what Toronto required. Traded for during the summer while finishing rehab from elbow surgery, the ex- award-winning winner stranded several baserunners and silenced the Dodgers' potent batting order. He allowed one run on four hits and three free passes before Schneider summoned first-year pitcher Mason Fluharty to face the heart of the order in the sixth. Fluharty needed just 4 throws to get out Max Muncy and Edman, protecting a fragile advantage that soon grew comfortable. Converted starting pitcher Chris Bassitt then pitched a clean seventh and eighth as the Dodgers' offense continued to sputter. Los Angeles have scored only three runs over their last 20 frames, an abrupt slowdown for a club that was among baseball's top offenses all year. Closing Moments The Los Angeles managed a score in the ninth inning when Edman grounded out to bring home Teoscar Hernández after a walk and Max Muncy's two-base hit put two on base. But Louis Varland closed it down without permitting a rally to build. Following a night when the Blue Jays stranded a Fall Classic-record 19 runners and collapsed after wave upon wave of wasted chances, the fourth contest was brutally efficient. 6 separate Toronto players recorded base hits, five drove in scores and the squad converted nearly every run-scoring opportunity presented in the final innings. Next Up The win ensures the championship trophy will be awarded at Rogers Centre, where the Blue Jays have not celebrated a championship since Carter's iconic walk-off homer in '93. They now are aware they are assured a packed house 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 north. Dodgers pitcher Blake Snell (3-1, 2.42 ERA) will attempt to arrest the Toronto's momentum. Toronto counter with first-year player Yesavage (2-1, 4.26 ERA) in a rematch of the opener, when the Toronto chased the starter quickly in an 11-4 win.