🔗 Share this article Vladimir Guerrero Jr Homers against Ohtani as Blue Jays Defeat Los Angeles to Tie Series at 2-2 Only 24 hours after staggering through one of the most draining defeats in World Series annals, the Blue Jays displayed complete command. Vladimir Guerrero Jr smashed a two-run home run and Shane Bieber delivered a steady outing as Toronto defeated the Dodgers 6-2 in the fourth game on Tuesday night at Dodger Stadium, squaring the Fall Classic at two games each and guaranteeing the matchup will head back to Toronto. The Blue Jays had spent the early hours of Tuesday processing their 18-inning Game 3 loss – tied for the longest Fall Classic contest ever – a loss that denied them the opportunity to take the lead in the series and depleted both bullpens. Skipper Schneider stated afterwards that “they won a game, not the World Series”. Twenty-three hours later, his team offered emphatic evidence. Early Action The Dodgers again scored first. Muncy walked in the second inning, moved up on a base hit and scored on Kiké Hernández's fly out. But the initial breakthrough did not rattle a Blue Jays team that topped Major League Baseball with 49 comeback wins this year. They responded immediately in the third inning. Lukes hit a one away single to centre and Vladimir Guerrero Jr stepped in hunting a curveball. Ohtani threw a sweeper up and he drove it soaring over the outfield fence. It was his first long hit of the series and his seventh home run this postseason – a fresh club mark – restoring the Toronto's advantage after 13 scoreless frames and shifting the momentum of the night. Ohtani's Performance That swing also ended Shohei Ohtani's history-making run of 11 straight at-bats getting on base. The two-way phenomenon 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 started on limited rest – his shortest ever – after requiring an IV to recover from the previous marathon. Ohtani fastball velocity was under his regular-season average and he labored more as the game progressed. Even so, he showed flashes of his typical control, retiring 11 of 12 after Guerrero's blast and striking out six. He even drew a walk in the first inning to continue his Fall Classic record. But the Toronto made him work: six base hits and four runs were charged to him in six-plus innings. Late Game Rally The bigger issue for the Dodgers was what came next when Ohtani finally ran out of steam. Varsho started the seventh with a sharp hit to right field, and Ernie Clement smashed a double off the fence to put runners on with none out. Dave Roberts had no option but to pull the starter, who exited to a standing ovation from the local fans. The Los Angeles' bullpen could not finish the inning. Anthony Banda came into the mess and right away trailed in the count. Andrés Giménez battled to a full count before scoring the runner with a base hit to left. France followed with a groundout to make it 4-1, and that was enough to knock the pitcher out of the game. Blake Treinen came in next but also was unable to stop the rally: Bo Bichette and Addison Barger hit run-scoring singles through the infield, capping a four-run outburst that extended the margin to 6-1. Toronto's Resilience The Toronto's capacity to absorb initial blows and respond has characterized their whole run. They once again did it without Springer, the injured leadoff man who exited Game 3 after straining his oblique. Shane Bieber, in contrast, was exactly what the Blue Jays required. Traded for mid-season while finishing rehab from Tommy John surgery, the former award-winning winner stranded several baserunners and quieted the Dodgers' dangerous lineup. He allowed one run on four hits and three free passes before Schneider summoned rookie left-hander Mason Fluharty to confront the heart of the order in the sixth inning. Fluharty required just 4 pitches to get out Max Muncy and Edman, protecting a narrow advantage that soon grew comfortable. Former starter Bassitt then worked a clean seventh and eighth innings as the Dodgers' bats continued to struggle. Los Angeles have produced only 3 runs over their last 20 innings, an sudden downturn for a team that ranked among baseball's top lineups all season. Final Moments The Dodgers managed a score in the ninth when Tommy Edman hit into an out to score Hernández after a walk and Muncy's two-base hit put two on base. But Louis Varland finished the game without allowing a comeback to develop. Following a game when Toronto left a Fall Classic-record 19 runners and collapsed after wave upon wave of missed opportunities, Game 4 was brutally effective. 6 separate Blue Jays recorded base hits, 5 drove in runs and the squad converted almost every run-scoring chance presented in the late stanzas. Next Up The win ensures the championship trophy will be presented at Rogers Centre, where the Toronto have not celebrated a title since Joe Carter's famous game-winning home run in 1993. They now are aware they are guaranteed a full house in Toronto on Friday night – and possibly the next day – no matter what happens next in Los Angeles. Game 5 looms with the matchup reset and momentum swinging north. Los Angeles pitcher Blake Snell (3-1, 2.42 ERA) will attempt to halt the Toronto's surge. The Blue Jays counter with first-year player Yesavage (2-1, 4.26 ERA) in a repeat of Game 1, when the Toronto chased the starter quickly in an 11-4 victory.