Guerrero Homers against Ohtani as Blue Jays Defeat Los Angeles to Level Series at 2-2
Less than a day following enduring one of the most draining losses in Fall Classic history, the Blue Jays displayed complete command.
Guerrero crushed a two-run home run and Shane Bieber delivered a composed start as the Blue Jays defeated the Dodgers 6-2 in Game 4 on Tuesday night at Dodger Stadium, tying the Fall Classic at two wins apiece and ensuring the series will return to Canada.
The Blue Jays had passed the morning of Tuesday processing their 18-inning Game 3 loss – tied for the lengthiest World Series game ever – a defeat that cost them the opportunity to lead the series and burned through both relief corps. Skipper Schneider stated afterwards that “the Dodgers won a game, not the World Series”. Twenty-three hours later, his team provided convincing evidence.
Initial Action
The Dodgers again struck first. Max Muncy drew a walk in the second inning, moved up on a base hit and scored on Kiké Hernández's fly out. But the initial score did not shake a Blue Jays team that led Major League Baseball with 49 comeback wins this year.
They answered right away in the third inning. Nathan Lukes hit a one away single to center field and Guerrero came to the plate hunting a breaking ball. Shohei Ohtani left a sweeper up and he sent it soaring over the left-center wall. It was his initial long hit of the series and his 7th home run this playoffs – a fresh club record – regaining the Toronto's advantage after 13 scoreless innings and shifting the tone of the night.
Ohtani's Night
That hit also ended Ohtani's record-setting run of 11 straight at-bats reaching base. The two-way star had smashed two homers and got on base a record nine times in the Los Angeles' third game comeback win. But on that night, he took the mound on limited rest – his briefest ever – after needing an IV to recover from the prior extra-inning game.
His fastball velocity was under his regular-season norm and he labored more as the contest wore on. Even so, he displayed flashes of his typical control, retiring 11 of 12 after Guerrero's homer and striking out six. He even walked in the first inning to extend his World Series streak. But the Blue Jays forced him to labor: six hits and four earned runs were charged to him in over six frames.
Late Game Rally
The larger problem for the Dodgers was what came next when he eventually ran out of steam.
Daulton Varsho started the seventh with a sharp single to right, and Clement drilled a double off the fence to put runners on with none out. Dave Roberts had no option but to pull the starter, who departed to a roaring applause from the local fans. The Dodgers' bullpen could not finish the inning.
Banda inherited the jam and right away fell behind. Giménez battled to a full count before scoring Varsho with a base hit to left. Ty 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 contest. Blake Treinen entered next but also was unable to stem the momentum: Bo Bichette and Addison Barger punched run-scoring base hits through the infield, completing a four-score outburst that pushed the margin to 6-1.
Blue Jays's Resilience
The Blue Jays's capacity to absorb early setbacks and answer has characterized their entire postseason. They once again succeeded without George Springer, the hurt leadoff man who exited Game 3 after straining his oblique.
Shane Bieber, meanwhile, was everything the Blue Jays required. Traded for during the summer while completing recovery from elbow surgery, the ex- award-winning winner stranded multiple baserunners and quieted the Los Angeles' potent batting order. He gave up one run on four base hits and three free passes before Schneider called on rookie pitcher Fluharty to face the core of the lineup in the sixth. He required just 4 throws to get out Muncy and Tommy Edman, protecting a narrow advantage that quickly became safe.
Former starting pitcher Chris Bassitt then pitched a scoreless seventh and eighth innings as the Los Angeles' offense continued to sputter. Los Angeles have scored only 3 scores over their last 20 frames, an sudden downturn for a club that was among MLB's elite offenses all year.
Closing Moments
The Dodgers managed a score in the ninth when Tommy Edman grounded out to bring home Teoscar Hernández after a walk and Muncy's two-base hit put two on base. But Louis Varland finished the game without permitting a rally to build.
After a game when Toronto left a World Series-record 19 baserunners and fell apart after wave upon wave of wasted opportunities, Game 4 was brutally efficient. 6 separate Blue Jays collected hits, 5 brought home runs and the team cashed almost every run-scoring chance presented in the final innings.
Next Up
The win guarantees the World Series trophy will be presented at their home stadium, where the Blue Jays have not won a title since Carter's famous walk-off home run in '93. They now are aware they are guaranteed a full crowd in Canada on Friday night – and possibly Saturday – no matter what happens next in LA.
Game 5 approaches with the series reset and energy swinging to Toronto. Dodgers left-hander Blake Snell (3-1, 2.42 ERA) will try to arrest the Toronto's momentum. Toronto respond with first-year player Yesavage (2-1, 4.26 ERA) in a rematch of Game 1, when the Toronto knocked out Snell quickly in an decisive victory.