🔗 Share this article Guerrero Homers against Ohtani as Toronto Defeat Dodgers to Tie World Series at 2-2 Only 24 hours after enduring one of the most draining losses in Fall Classic annals, the Toronto Blue Jays displayed complete control. Vladimir Guerrero Jr crushed a two-run homer and Bieber provided a composed outing as the Blue Jays beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 6-2 in the fourth game on Tuesday night at their home ballpark, tying the Fall Classic at two games each and guaranteeing the series will head back to Canada. The Blue Jays had passed the morning of Tuesday processing their 18-inning third game defeat – tied for the lengthiest World Series game ever – a defeat that denied them the chance to lead the series and depleted both relief corps. Skipper Schneider insisted afterwards that “the Dodgers took a contest, not the championship”. 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 base hit and crossed the plate on Kiké Hernández's fly out. But the initial breakthrough did not shake a Toronto team that topped MLB with 49 comeback wins this season. They responded right away in the third. Nathan Lukes lined a one away single to centre and Vladimir Guerrero Jr stepped in looking for a breaking ball. Shohei Ohtani threw a sweeper up and Guerrero sent it screaming over the outfield fence. It was his initial long hit of the series and his seventh homer this playoffs – a new club record – regaining the Toronto's advantage after 13 scoreless innings and shifting the tone of the night. Shohei's Performance That swing also ended Ohtani's record-setting run of 11 straight at-bats getting on base. The two-way star had hit two homers and got on base a record nine times in the Dodgers' Game 3 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 sat under his seasonal average and he labored more as the game wore on. Even so, he displayed flashes of his usual command, retiring 11 of 12 after Guerrero Jr's blast and fanning six. He even walked in the first inning to extend his Fall Classic streak. But the Toronto made him work: six hits and four runs were credited to him in over six frames. Late Game Surge The bigger problem for the Dodgers was what came next when Ohtani finally lost steam. Varsho started the seventh inning with a clean single to right field, and Ernie Clement drilled a double off the fence to put two on with no outs. Roberts had no option but to pull the starter, who exited to a standing ovation from the local fans. The Dodgers' bullpen could not complete the inning. Anthony Banda came into the mess and right away trailed in the count. Giménez fought to a 3-2 count before scoring Varsho with a base hit to left. 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 came in next but also failed to stop the rally: Bichette and Barger hit RBI singles through the infield, capping a four-score outburst that pushed the margin to 6-1. Blue Jays's Toughness The Blue Jays's ability to withstand early blows and respond has defined their entire run. They once again did it without Springer, the injured leadoff hitter who left Game 3 after straining his oblique. Bieber, in contrast, was everything Toronto needed. Traded for mid-season while finishing rehab from elbow surgery, the ex- Cy Young winner stranded multiple baserunners and quieted the Los Angeles' dangerous batting order. He allowed one run on four hits and three walks before the manager summoned rookie pitcher Fluharty to face the heart of the lineup in the sixth inning. He required just 4 throws to get out Muncy and Edman, protecting a narrow lead that quickly became safe. Former starting pitcher Chris Bassitt then pitched a clean seventh and eighth innings as the Los Angeles' offense kept to sputter. Los Angeles have produced only 3 runs over their last 20 innings, an sudden downturn for a club that was among baseball's elite lineups all season. Closing Moments The Dodgers scraped a run in the ninth when Edman grounded out to score Hernández after a base on balls and Muncy's two-base hit put two on base. But Varland finished the game without allowing a rally to build. After a game when the Blue Jays left a World Series-record 19 runners and fell apart after wave upon wave of missed chances, Game 4 was ruthlessly effective. 6 separate Blue Jays collected base hits, 5 drove in scores and the team cashed almost every run-scoring opportunity presented in the final innings. Looking Ahead The win ensures the World Series trophy will be awarded at Rogers Centre, where the Blue Jays have not won a title since Carter's iconic game-winning home run in '93. They now are aware they are assured a full crowd in Toronto on Friday evening – and possibly the next day – no matter what occurs next in LA. The fifth game approaches with the series reset and energy swinging to Toronto. Los Angeles pitcher Blake Snell (3-1, 2.42 ERA) will attempt to halt the Toronto's surge. Toronto respond with rookie Trey Yesavage (2-1, 4.26 ERA) in a rematch of Game 1, when the Toronto knocked out Snell early in an 11-4 victory.