Guerrero Homers against Ohtani as Blue Jays Defeat Los Angeles to Tie World Series at 2-2
Only 24 hours following enduring one of the most exhausting losses in Fall Classic history, the Blue Jays displayed complete command.
Guerrero smashed a two-run home run and Bieber delivered a composed outing as the Blue Jays beat the Dodgers 6-2 in the fourth game on Tuesday night at their home ballpark, squaring the World Series at two wins apiece and ensuring the series will return to Toronto.
Toronto had passed the morning of Tuesday dealing with their 18-inning Game 3 loss – equal to the longest Fall Classic game ever – a defeat that denied them the opportunity to take the lead in the matchup and depleted both bullpens. Skipper John Schneider stated later that “they took a game, not the championship”. Twenty-three hours later, his team provided convincing evidence.
Early Action
The Los Angeles again scored first. Max Muncy drew a walk in the second, advanced on a base hit and scored on Hernández's sacrifice fly. But the early breakthrough did not shake a Toronto club that topped Major League Baseball with 49 comeback victories this year.
They answered immediately in the third. Lukes hit a one-out base hit to center field and Guerrero came to the plate hunting a curveball. Ohtani threw a sweeper up and Guerrero sent it soaring over the left-center wall. It was his initial long hit of the series and his seventh homer this playoffs – a fresh club record – regaining the Blue Jays's lead after 13 shutout frames and shifting the momentum of the night.
Shohei's Performance
That hit also halted Ohtani's record-setting streak of 11 straight plate appearances getting on base. The two-way phenomenon had hit two homers and reached safely a historic nine times in the Dodgers' third game walk-off. But on Tuesday, he started on limited rest – his shortest ever – after needing an IV to recuperate from the previous extra-inning game.
Ohtani fastball velocity was below his regular-season norm and he labored more as the contest progressed. Even so, he showed flashes of his typical control, setting down 11 of 12 after Guerrero's homer and striking out six. He even walked in the first to extend his Fall Classic record. But the Toronto forced him to labor: six hits and four runs were charged to him in six-plus frames.
Seventh Inning Surge
The bigger issue for Los Angeles was what came next when Ohtani eventually lost 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 no outs. Dave Roberts had little choice but to remove Ohtani, who exited to a roaring applause from the home crowd. The Los Angeles' relief corps could not complete the inning.
Anthony Banda came into the jam and right away trailed in the count. Andrés Giménez battled to a 3-2 count before scoring Varsho with a single to left field. France came up next with a fielder's choice to make it 4-1, and that was sufficient to knock the pitcher out of the game. Blake Treinen came in next but also failed to stop the rally: Bichette and Addison Barger hit run-scoring singles through the infield, capping a four-run outburst that extended the margin to 6-1.
Blue Jays's Toughness
The Toronto's ability to withstand initial blows and respond has defined their whole run. They once again did it without Springer, the hurt leadoff hitter who exited Game 3 after straining his oblique.
Bieber, in contrast, was exactly what Toronto needed. Traded for during the summer while finishing rehab from Tommy John surgery, the former Cy Young winner stranded several baserunners and silenced the Dodgers' dangerous lineup. He allowed one run on four base hits and three free passes before Schneider summoned rookie left-hander Mason Fluharty to face the core of the order in the sixth inning. Fluharty needed just four throws to retire Max Muncy and Tommy Edman, preserving a narrow lead that soon became comfortable.
Converted starter Chris Bassitt then worked a scoreless seventh and eighth as the Los Angeles' bats continued to struggle. The Dodgers have produced only 3 scores over their last 20 frames, an abrupt slowdown for a team that was among MLB's elite lineups all year.
Final Innings
The Los Angeles managed a score in the ninth when Tommy 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 permitting a rally to develop.
Following a game when Toronto stranded a Fall Classic-record 19 baserunners and collapsed after wave upon wave of missed opportunities, the fourth contest was ruthlessly efficient. 6 different Toronto players collected hits, five brought home runs and the team cashed almost every scoring opportunity presented in the late innings.
Looking Ahead
The victory guarantees the championship trophy will be presented at Rogers Centre, where the Toronto have not won a title since Carter's famous walk-off homer in 1993. They now are aware they are guaranteed a packed crowd in Canada on Friday evening – and possibly Saturday – no matter what happens next in Los Angeles.
The fifth game approaches with the matchup reset and energy swinging north. Dodgers left-hander Blake Snell (3-1, 2.42 ERA) will attempt to halt the Blue Jays's momentum. The Blue Jays respond with rookie Yesavage (2-1, 4.26 ERA) in a repeat of the opener, when the Blue Jays chased Snell quickly in an 11-4 win.