🔗 Share this article Guerrero Blasts off Ohtani as Blue Jays Defeat Dodgers to Level Series at 2-2 Only 24 hours after staggering through one of the most exhausting losses in Fall Classic history, the Blue Jays displayed complete command. Guerrero smashed a two-run home run and Shane Bieber provided a steady start as Toronto beat the Dodgers 6-2 in the fourth game on Tuesday night at Dodger Stadium, tying the World Series at two wins apiece and ensuring the series will head back to Toronto. Toronto had passed the early hours of the next day dealing with their 18-inning Game 3 loss – equal to the longest Fall Classic contest ever – a defeat that cost them the chance to take the lead in the series and depleted both bullpens. Manager John Schneider stated afterwards that “the Dodgers took a game, not the championship”. Twenty-three hours later, his team offered convincing proof. Early Innings The Dodgers again struck first. Max Muncy drew a walk in the second, advanced on a single and scored on Hernández's fly out. But the initial breakthrough did not shake a Toronto team that led Major League Baseball with 49 comeback wins this season. They responded immediately in the third. Lukes lined a one-out base hit to centre and Guerrero stepped in looking for a curveball. Ohtani threw a sweeper up and Guerrero drove it soaring over the left-center wall. It was his first extra-base hit of the series and his seventh homer this playoffs – a fresh team record – restoring the Toronto's advantage after 13 shutout innings and changing the tone of the night. Ohtani's Night That swing also halted Shohei Ohtani's record-setting run of 11 consecutive plate appearances reaching base. The two-way phenomenon had smashed two home runs and reached safely a historic nine times in the Dodgers' Game 3 walk-off. But on Tuesday, he started on short rest – his briefest ever – after requiring an IV to recover from the prior extra-inning game. Ohtani fastball velocity sat under his regular-season average and he labored more as the game wore on. Nonetheless, he displayed flashes of his typical command, retiring 11 of 12 after Guerrero's blast and fanning six. He even drew a walk in the first inning to extend his Fall Classic record. But the Toronto made him work: six hits and four earned runs were charged to him in over six frames. Seventh Inning Rally The bigger issue for Los Angeles was what came next when he eventually ran out of energy. Varsho opened the seventh with a sharp single to right field, and Clement smashed a double off the fence to put runners on with no outs. Roberts had no option but to remove Ohtani, who departed to a standing ovation from the home crowd. The Los Angeles' bullpen could not complete the inning. Anthony Banda inherited the mess and right away fell behind. Andrés Giménez fought to a full count before scoring the runner with a base hit to left field. Ty France followed with a fielder's choice to make it 4-1, and that was enough to knock the pitcher out of the contest. Blake Treinen entered next but also failed to stem the rally: Bo Bichette and Barger hit run-scoring base hits through the infield, completing a four-run outburst that pushed the lead to 6-1. Blue Jays's Resilience The Blue Jays's ability to withstand early blows and answer has characterized their whole run. They once again succeeded without Springer, the injured top-of-the-order man who left the third game after straining his right side. Shane Bieber, meanwhile, was exactly what the Blue Jays required. Traded for during the summer while finishing recovery from elbow surgery, the ex- Cy Young winner left several runners and quieted the Los Angeles' dangerous lineup. He allowed one earned run on four hits and three walks before the manager summoned first-year left-hander Fluharty to face the heart of the order in the sixth. He needed just 4 throws to get out Max Muncy and Tommy Edman, protecting a fragile lead that quickly grew safe. Former starting pitcher Chris Bassitt then worked a clean seventh and eighth innings as the Dodgers' offense continued to sputter. Los Angeles have produced only 3 scores over their previous 20 frames, an abrupt downturn for a club that was among baseball's top offenses all year. Final Moments The Dodgers scraped a score in the ninth when Tommy Edman hit into an out to score Hernández after a base on balls and Muncy's double put two aboard. But Louis Varland closed it down without allowing a comeback to develop. After a night when Toronto stranded a Fall Classic-record 19 runners and fell apart after wave upon wave of missed opportunities, Game 4 was ruthlessly effective. Six separate Blue Jays collected hits, five brought home runs and the squad converted almost every scoring opportunity available in the late innings. Next Up The victory guarantees the championship trophy will be awarded at their home stadium, where the Toronto have not won a title since Joe Carter's famous walk-off homer in '93. They now are aware they are assured a packed crowd in Canada on Friday evening – and perhaps Saturday – no matter what occurs next in Los Angeles. Game 5 looms with the series reset and energy swinging to Toronto. Dodgers pitcher Snell (3-1, 2.42 ERA) will try to arrest the Toronto's momentum. The Blue Jays counter with first-year player Trey Yesavage (2-1, 4.26 ERA) in a rematch of the opener, when the Toronto knocked out Snell quickly in an 11-4 victory.