Vladimir Guerrero Jr. connects for a two-run home run in Game 4 of the World Series on Tuesday.Ashley Landis/The Associated Press
After losing a crushing Game 3 in 18 innings, the Toronto Blue Jays bounced back with a 6-2 victory over the Dodgers in Game 4 on Tuesday in Los Angeles, to guarantee that the World Series will move back to Toronto.
The Blue Jays tied the best-of-seven series 2-2 with a big night at the plate, including a two-run homer from Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and an explosive four-run seventh inning. The Jays neutralized a two-way performance from Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani.
The foes will meet again for Game 5 Wednesday in L.A., before the series resumes in Toronto on Friday.
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Both teams were fresh off an epic Game 3 that tied MLB records for the longest postseason game by innings and the second-longest by time (nearly seven hours).
Ohtani’s turnaround from Monday to Tuesday was mind-boggling. He had played all 18 innings in an epic Game 3, reaching base a postseason record nine times. He went 4-for-4 with two doubles, two homers, three RBIs and was intentionally walked four times as he helped L.A. to a 6-5 win.
Just 17 hours after that marathon ended – he said he went to sleep at 2 a.m. – Ohtani was fine to pitch and hit in Game 4. He allowed six hits and two runs, while punching out six and walking one in six innings. At the plate, Ohtani went 0-for-3, striking out twice and taking a walk. Unlike the night before, he looked human.
“My goal is to be able to pitch six innings, and the situation, this game, I wanted to go seven,” said Ohtani, via his translator. “It was regrettable that I wasn’t able to finish that inning.”
Shane Bieber pitches during the second inning of Game 4 of the World Series on Tuesday.Kiyoshi Mio/Reuters
Shane Bieber pitched 5 1/3 innings for Toronto in his World Series debut, striking out three and walking three, while allowing four hits and one run. Bieber used the cutter, minimized damage, limited their big swings and their traffic. He luckily avoided being called into Tuesday’s extra-innings game out of the bullpen, although he did warm up. He said the Jays were bullish after the Game 3 loss.
“Coming off what could have been a back-breaking loss last night, said Bieber, “it was an absolute pleasure to come in to work today.”
The Jays were without George Springer on Tuesday, after he left Monday’s game with a side injury suffered during a swing at the plate. While the slugger’s status for the rest of the series remains unclear, the Jays had Nathan Lukes hitting in Springer’s usual leadoff spot, and Bo Bichette filling his role of designated hitter.
The Dodgers got on the board first, in the second inning, as Enrique Hernández cracked a sacrifice fly to bring Max Muncy in to score.
Guerrero thrust Toronto into the lead when he got hold of an Ohtani sweeper and drove it over the left centre field for a two-run homer.
“A sweeper is a pitch designed to generate pop-ups, in my opinion, and the swing that Vlad put on it was elite,” said Toronto manager John Schneider. “After [Monday] night and kind of all the recognition that went into Shohei individually and he’s on the mound today, it’s a huge swing from Vlad. It’s a huge swing to get us going.”
The Jays brought in four runs in a busy seventh inning that tilted the momentum in this series back in their favour.
Andrés Giménez scores a run during a four-run seventh inning for the Jays.Harry How/Getty Images
Daulton Varsho singled and Ernie Clement doubled to get things started. The Dodgers gave Guerrero the star treatment by intentionally walking him. Andrés Giménez, Bo Bichette, and Addison Barger all cracked RBI singles, and Ty France hit a sac grounder to take a five-run lead.
The Dodgers Stadium sellout crowd of 52,552 quieted – in sharp contrast to the ear-splitting cheering of the previous night.
Inside their stadium, carved into the hillside of Chavez Ravine, the club flexes its star power at every opportunity. They have Hollywood heavy hype videos featuring celebs like Ice Cube. The videoboard regularly highlights famous faces in attendance, from Brad Pitt to Prince Harry and Meghan Markle.
The Dodgers put some men on base and threatened a comeback in the bottom of the ninth. Tommy Edman grounded out, but brought home Teoscar Hernández. Then the Jays shut it down.
While the Jays called eight pitchers out of their bullpen on Monday, they needed just three relievers on Tuesday. Mason Fluharty retired both batters he faced, before Chris Bassitt pitched two scoreless innings and Louis Varland closed in the ninth.
“It’s hard to play 18 innings and come back and kind of flip the narrative against a very talented team and a very talented individual in Shohei Ohtani on the mound,” said Schneider. “I feel really good about just us.”
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. hit a two-run homer, Shane Bieber outpitched Shohei Ohtani, and the Toronto Blue Jays tied the 2025 World Series at two games apiece with a 6-2 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game 4.
The Canadian Press