Guerrero Homers against Shohei Ohtani as Toronto See Off Dodgers to Tie World Series at 2-2
Less than a day following enduring one of the most draining losses in Fall Classic annals, the Toronto Blue Jays displayed total command.
Guerrero crushed a two-run home run and Bieber delivered a composed start as the Blue Jays beat the Dodgers 6-2 in the fourth game on Tuesday evening at Dodger Stadium, tying the World Series at two wins apiece and guaranteeing the series will return to Canada.
The Blue Jays had spent the morning of Tuesday dealing with their marathon Game 3 loss – tied for the longest World Series contest ever – a loss that cost them the opportunity to take the lead in the series and burned through both relief corps. Manager John Schneider stated afterwards that “the Dodgers took a contest, not the World Series”. Twenty-three hours later, his squad provided convincing evidence.
Initial Innings
The Los Angeles again scored first. Max Muncy walked in the second inning, advanced on a single and scored on Hernández's fly out. But the early score did not rattle a Blue Jays team that led MLB with 49 come-from-behind victories this year.
They responded immediately in the third inning. Lukes lined a one away single to centre and Vladimir Guerrero Jr came to the plate hunting a breaking ball. Shohei Ohtani left a sweeper up and Guerrero sent it soaring over the outfield fence. It was his initial extra-base hit of the World Series and his seventh home run this playoffs – a new club record – restoring the Blue Jays's advantage after 13 shutout frames and shifting the tone of the game.
Ohtani's Performance
That hit also halted Shohei Ohtani's history-making run of 11 straight at-bats reaching base. The dual-threat star had smashed two home runs and got on base a record nine times in the Los Angeles' Game 3 walk-off. But on Tuesday, he took the mound on limited rest – his shortest ever – after needing an IV to recuperate from the prior extra-inning game.
His pitch speed sat below 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 Jr's blast and fanning 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 earned runs were charged to him in over six frames.
Seventh Inning Rally
The bigger problem for Los Angeles was what followed when Ohtani finally lost steam.
Varsho opened the seventh with a sharp single to right, and Clement smashed a double off the fence to put runners on with none out. Dave Roberts had little choice but to remove Ohtani, 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 immediately trailed in the count. Andrés Giménez fought to a full count before scoring Varsho with a base hit to left field. Ty France followed with a fielder's choice to make it 4-1, and that was sufficient to remove the pitcher out of the game. Blake Treinen entered next but also was unable to stop the momentum: Bichette and Addison Barger punched RBI singles through the infield, completing a four-run barrage that extended the lead to 6-1.
Blue Jays's Toughness
The Toronto's capacity to withstand initial setbacks and answer has characterized their entire run. They once again succeeded without Springer, the injured leadoff man who left the third game after straining his oblique.
Shane Bieber, meanwhile, was everything the Blue Jays needed. Acquired mid-season while completing rehab from elbow surgery, the former award-winning winner left several runners and quieted the Los Angeles' dangerous lineup. He gave up one run on four hits and three free passes before the manager summoned rookie left-hander Fluharty to confront the heart of the order in the sixth. Fluharty required just four throws to get out Muncy and Edman, preserving a narrow lead that quickly grew comfortable.
Former starting pitcher Chris Bassitt then worked a scoreless seventh and eighth as the Dodgers' bats continued to sputter. Los Angeles have scored only 3 runs over their previous 20 innings, an abrupt slowdown for a club that ranked among baseball's top lineups all season.
Closing Innings
The Dodgers managed a score in the ninth inning when Tommy Edman grounded out to score Hernández after a base on balls and Muncy's double put two on base. But Varland closed it down without permitting a comeback to develop.
Following a night when Toronto left a World Series-record 19 baserunners and collapsed after repeated of wasted opportunities, Game 4 was ruthlessly effective. 6 different Blue Jays recorded hits, five brought home scores and the team converted almost every scoring opportunity presented in the late stanzas.
Next Up
The win guarantees the World Series title will be presented at their home stadium, where the Blue Jays have not celebrated a championship since Carter's famous walk-off home run in 1993. They now know they are guaranteed a full house in Canada on Friday evening – and possibly Saturday – no matter what happens next in LA.
Game 5 looms with the matchup even and energy swinging north. Los Angeles left-hander Blake Snell (3-1, 2.42 ERA) will try to halt the Blue Jays's surge. Toronto respond with first-year player Yesavage (2-1, 4.26 ERA) in a rematch of the opener, when the Blue Jays chased Snell early in an decisive victory.