Guerrero Blasts against Ohtani as Toronto See Off Dodgers to Level Series at 2-2
Only 24 hours after staggering through one of the most draining losses in Fall Classic annals, the Toronto Blue Jays displayed complete command.
Guerrero crushed a two-run home run and Bieber delivered a composed outing as the Blue Jays beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 6-2 in the fourth game on Tuesday night at Dodger Stadium, squaring the Fall Classic at two wins apiece and ensuring the series will head back to Canada.
The Blue Jays had spent the early hours of Tuesday dealing with their marathon Game 3 loss – tied for the longest World Series contest ever – a defeat that cost them the chance to lead the matchup and burned through both relief corps. Manager Schneider stated later that “they took a contest, not the championship”. A day later, his team provided convincing evidence.
Early Innings
The Dodgers again struck first. Muncy drew a walk in the second, moved up on a base hit and scored on Hernández's fly out. But the initial score did not rattle a Blue Jays club that led MLB with 49 comeback wins this year.
They responded immediately in the third inning. Nathan Lukes lined a one away single to centre and Vladimir Guerrero Jr stepped in looking for a breaking ball. Shohei Ohtani left a sweeper up and Guerrero drove it screaming over the outfield fence. It was his first extra-base hit of the World Series and his seventh home run this postseason – a fresh team record – restoring the Toronto's lead after 13 scoreless frames and shifting the tone of the game.
Ohtani's Night
That swing also ended Ohtani's history-making streak of 11 consecutive at-bats reaching base. The two-way phenomenon had smashed two home runs and reached safely a record nine times in the Los Angeles' Game 3 comeback win. But on Tuesday, he took the mound on limited rest – his briefest ever – after needing an IV to recuperate from the previous extra-inning game.
His pitch speed sat under his regular-season norm and he labored more as the game progressed. Nonetheless, he showed glimpses of his usual control, setting down 11 of 12 after Guerrero Jr's homer and striking out six. He even drew a walk in the first to continue his Fall Classic streak. But the Blue Jays forced him to labor: six base hits and four runs were charged to him in six-plus innings.
Late Game Surge
The larger issue for the Dodgers was what followed when Ohtani finally lost steam.
Varsho opened the seventh inning with a clean single to right, and Ernie Clement drilled a double off the fence to put two on with no outs. Roberts had little choice but to pull the starter, who departed to a roaring applause from the home crowd. The Los Angeles' bullpen could not complete the escape.
Anthony Banda came into the jam and right away trailed in the count. Giménez battled to a full count before scoring Varsho with a base hit to left. France followed with a groundout to make it 4-1, and that was enough to knock Banda out of the game. Blake Treinen came in next but also was unable to stop the momentum: Bichette and Addison Barger hit run-scoring base hits through the diamond, completing a four-run barrage that extended the margin to 6-1.
Blue Jays's Toughness
The Blue Jays's ability to withstand initial blows and answer has characterized their entire run. They once again did it without Springer, the injured leadoff man who left Game 3 after straining his right side.
Shane Bieber, in contrast, was everything the Blue Jays needed. Traded for mid-season while completing rehab from Tommy John surgery, the former Cy Young winner stranded multiple baserunners and silenced the Los Angeles' potent batting order. He gave up one earned run on four hits and three free passes before Schneider summoned first-year pitcher Fluharty to confront the core of the lineup in the sixth. Fluharty required just 4 throws to get out Max Muncy and Edman, protecting a fragile lead that quickly grew safe.
Converted starter Bassitt then worked a clean seventh and eighth innings as the Los Angeles' offense continued to sputter. Los Angeles have scored only three runs over their last 20 frames, an sudden slowdown for a club that was among MLB's elite lineups all year.
Final Moments
The Dodgers managed a run in the ninth inning when Edman hit into an out to score Teoscar Hernández after a base on balls and Max Muncy's two-base hit put runners aboard. But Louis Varland closed it down without allowing a comeback to build.
Following a game when the Blue Jays stranded a World Series-record 19 runners and collapsed after wave upon wave of wasted chances, the fourth contest was ruthlessly efficient. 6 different Blue Jays recorded hits, 5 brought home runs and the squad converted nearly every run-scoring opportunity presented in the late stanzas.
Looking Ahead
The victory guarantees the World Series trophy will be presented at their home stadium, where the Toronto have not won a title since Carter's iconic walk-off homer in '93. They now know they are guaranteed a full house in Toronto on Friday evening – and possibly Saturday – no matter what happens next in LA.
The fifth game approaches with the series reset and energy swinging to Toronto. Los Angeles pitcher Snell (3-1, 2.42 ERA) will try to halt the Blue Jays's surge. Toronto counter with first-year player Yesavage (2-1, 4.26 ERA) in a repeat of Game 1, when the Blue Jays chased Snell early in an decisive victory.
