Guerrero Homers off Shohei Ohtani as Blue Jays Defeat Dodgers to Level Series at 2-2
Only 24 hours after enduring one of the most draining losses in World Series annals, the Toronto Blue Jays played with complete command.
Vladimir Guerrero Jr crushed a two-run homer and Bieber provided a steady start as the Blue Jays defeated the Dodgers 6-2 in the fourth game on Tuesday night at their home ballpark, tying the World Series at two games each and guaranteeing the series will head back to Canada.
The Blue Jays had passed the morning of the next day processing their 18-inning third game defeat – equal to the longest Fall Classic game ever – a loss that cost them the chance to take the lead in the series and burned through both bullpens. Skipper Schneider insisted afterwards that “they won a game, not the championship”. A day later, his team offered convincing proof.
Initial Action
The Los Angeles again struck first. Max Muncy walked in the second, advanced on a single and crossed the plate on Kiké Hernández's sacrifice fly. But the early breakthrough did not rattle a Toronto club that led Major League Baseball with 49 comeback victories this season.
They answered right away in the third. Lukes lined a one away base hit to centre and Vladimir Guerrero Jr stepped in hunting a curveball. Shohei Ohtani threw a sweeper up and he sent it soaring over the outfield fence. It was his first long hit of the series and his 7th homer this playoffs – a new team record – restoring the Blue Jays's advantage after 13 scoreless frames and shifting the tone of the night.
Shohei's Performance
That swing also ended Shohei Ohtani's record-setting streak of 11 straight plate appearances getting on base. The dual-threat star had hit two home runs and got on base a record nine times in the Dodgers' third game comeback win. But on that night, he started on limited rest – his briefest ever – after requiring an IV to recover from the prior extra-inning game.
Ohtani pitch speed was under his regular-season average and he labored more as the game wore on. Even so, he showed flashes of his typical command, retiring 11 of 12 after Guerrero's blast and fanning six. He even walked in the first to continue his Fall Classic streak. But the Blue Jays made him work: six base hits and four runs were charged to him in over six frames.
Late Game Surge
The larger problem for Los Angeles was what followed when he eventually ran out of steam.
Varsho opened the seventh inning with a clean single to right, and Clement smashed a double off the wall to put runners on with none out. Roberts had little choice but to pull Ohtani, who departed to a standing ovation from the home crowd. The Los Angeles' bullpen could not complete the escape.
Anthony Banda inherited the mess and right away fell behind. Andrés Giménez fought to a 3-2 count before driving in Varsho with a base hit to left field. France followed with a fielder's choice to make it 4-1, and that was enough to remove the pitcher out of the contest. Blake Treinen entered next but also was unable to stop the momentum: Bichette and Barger hit run-scoring singles through the infield, capping a four-run barrage that pushed the lead to 6-1.
Blue Jays's Toughness
The Blue Jays's capacity to withstand initial setbacks and answer has defined their whole postseason. They once again succeeded without George Springer, the injured leadoff man who left Game 3 after tweaking his right side.
Shane Bieber, meanwhile, was everything Toronto required. Acquired during the summer while finishing recovery from elbow surgery, the ex- award-winning winner left several runners and quieted the Los Angeles' potent lineup. He gave up one run on four hits and three walks before Schneider summoned first-year left-hander Mason Fluharty to face the heart of the lineup in the sixth. Fluharty required just 4 throws to get out Muncy and Edman, preserving a narrow lead that quickly became comfortable.
Former starting pitcher Chris Bassitt then worked a clean seventh and eighth as the Los Angeles' bats continued to struggle. Los Angeles have produced only 3 runs over their previous 20 innings, an abrupt slowdown for a team that was among baseball's top lineups all year.
Closing Moments
The Los Angeles scraped a run in the ninth when Tommy Edman grounded out to bring home Teoscar Hernández after a base on balls and Muncy's two-base hit put two on base. But Louis Varland closed it down without permitting a rally to develop.
After a night when Toronto stranded a World Series-record 19 baserunners and fell apart after wave upon wave of wasted opportunities, the fourth contest was ruthlessly efficient. 6 separate Toronto players recorded base hits, five brought home runs and the squad cashed almost every scoring chance presented in the final stanzas.
Next Up
The win ensures the World Series trophy will be presented at their home stadium, where the Toronto have not won a title since Joe Carter's iconic walk-off home run in 1993. They now are aware they are guaranteed a full house in Canada on Friday evening – and perhaps Saturday – no matter what occurs next in LA.
The fifth game looms with the series even and momentum swinging to Toronto. Los Angeles pitcher Blake Snell (3-1, 2.42 ERA) will attempt to halt the Blue Jays's surge. Toronto respond with rookie Yesavage (2-1, 4.26 ERA) in a repeat of Game 1, when the Blue Jays knocked out Snell quickly in an decisive win.
