🔗 Share this article Guerrero Blasts against Ohtani as Toronto Defeat Dodgers to Tie World Series at 2-2 Less than a day after enduring one of the most draining defeats in World Series history, the Blue Jays played with complete command. Guerrero smashed a two-run home run and Shane Bieber provided a steady outing as the Blue Jays beat the Dodgers 6-2 in Game 4 on Tuesday night at their home ballpark, tying the Fall Classic at two games each and ensuring the matchup will head back to Toronto. Toronto had passed the early hours of Tuesday processing their 18-inning Game 3 loss – equal to the longest World Series game ever – a loss that cost them the chance to take the lead in the matchup and depleted both relief corps. Manager Schneider stated later that “they won a game, not the World Series”. A day later, his squad provided convincing proof. Initial Action The Dodgers again struck first. Muncy drew a walk in the second inning, moved up on a base hit and scored on Kiké Hernández's fly out. But the early breakthrough did not shake a Toronto team that topped MLB with 49 come-from-behind wins this year. They responded immediately in the third inning. Nathan Lukes lined a one away base hit to centre and Guerrero stepped in hunting a breaking ball. Shohei Ohtani left a slider up and Guerrero sent it screaming over the left-center wall. It was his first extra-base hit of the World Series and his seventh homer this postseason – a new club mark – regaining the Blue Jays's advantage after 13 shutout frames and changing the tone of the game. Shohei's Night That hit also ended Ohtani's history-making run of 11 consecutive at-bats reaching base. The dual-threat phenomenon had smashed two homers and got on base a historic nine times in the Los Angeles' third game comeback win. But on Tuesday, he started on short rest – his shortest ever – after needing an IV to recover from the prior marathon. Ohtani pitch speed sat below his seasonal norm and he labored more as the contest wore on. Nonetheless, he displayed glimpses of his typical control, setting down 11 of 12 after Guerrero Jr's homer and striking out six. He even drew a walk in the first inning to continue his World Series record. But the Blue Jays made him work: six base hits and four earned runs were charged to him in over six frames. Seventh Inning Surge The larger problem for the Dodgers was what followed when he finally lost energy. Varsho started the seventh inning with a clean hit to right, and Ernie Clement smashed a two-base hit off the fence to put two on with none out. Roberts had no option but to pull Ohtani, who exited to a standing ovation from the home crowd. The Los Angeles' bullpen could not complete the inning. Banda came into the jam and immediately trailed in the count. Giménez fought to a 3-2 count before scoring the runner with a base hit to left field. Ty France came up next with a groundout to make it 4-1, and that was enough to remove the pitcher out of the game. Blake Treinen entered next but also was unable to stem the momentum: Bichette and Barger hit run-scoring singles through the infield, capping a four-score barrage that extended the margin to 6-1. Blue Jays's Resilience The Toronto's ability to withstand initial blows and answer has characterized their whole run. They once again succeeded without Springer, the hurt top-of-the-order hitter who left the third game after tweaking his right side. Bieber, in contrast, was everything the Blue Jays needed. Traded for during the summer while finishing rehab from elbow surgery, the ex- award-winning winner stranded several baserunners and silenced the Los Angeles' potent batting order. He allowed one earned run on four hits and three free passes before Schneider summoned first-year left-hander Mason Fluharty to face the core of the lineup in the sixth inning. He required just 4 throws to get out Max Muncy and Tommy Edman, protecting a narrow advantage that soon became safe. Converted starting pitcher Chris Bassitt then pitched a scoreless seventh and eighth innings as the Dodgers' bats continued to struggle. The Dodgers have scored only 3 scores over their previous 20 frames, an abrupt slowdown for a team that ranked among baseball's elite offenses all year. Closing Innings The Dodgers managed a run in the ninth inning when Edman hit into an out to bring home Teoscar Hernández after a base on balls and Muncy's double put two aboard. But Varland closed it down without permitting a comeback to build. After a night when Toronto stranded a World Series-record 19 runners and fell apart after wave upon wave of wasted chances, the fourth contest was brutally effective. 6 different Toronto players collected base hits, five drove in runs and the team converted almost every scoring opportunity available in the late stanzas. Looking Ahead The victory ensures the World Series title will be awarded at their home stadium, where the Toronto have not celebrated a championship since Joe Carter's famous walk-off homer in 1993. They now are aware they are guaranteed a full crowd in Canada on Friday night – and possibly Saturday – no matter what occurs next in LA. The fifth game approaches with the matchup even and energy swinging to Toronto. Los Angeles left-hander Blake Snell (3-1, 2.42 ERA) will attempt to halt the Blue Jays's momentum. Toronto counter with first-year player Trey Yesavage (2-1, 4.26 ERA) in a rematch of the opener, when the Toronto chased the starter quickly in an decisive win.