One day after losing the second longest game in World Series history via a walk-off home run in the 18th inning, the Toronto Blue Jays bounced back to defeat the Los Angeles Dodgers 6-2 on Tuesday, Oct. 28, tying the series at two games apiece.
Toronto tagged the inimitable Shohei Ohtani for four runs, providing the cushion to stay several steps ahead of Los Angeles’ potent offense, while Vladimir Guerrero Jr. hit his first home run of the World Series and his seventh this postseason. The Blue Jays are 6-1 in those games, and now have ensured that the series will return to Toronto.
Here are the winners and losers from Game 4.
Winner: Shane Bieber
Blue Jays starter Shane Bieber went 5.1 innings in his World Series debut, getting a quick hook with two on and one out in the sixth, but still managed to neutralize the Dodgers’ billion dollar lineup for two trips through the order.
Toronto’s pitchers have made it past the fifth inning just twice during this World Series, and with the Blue Jays’ bullpen covering more than 12 innings the previous night, they needed a strong performance from their starting pitcher. Bieber wasn’t at his flashiest, striking out three batters, but he only allowed one run, putting his team in position to win.
Winner: Vladimir Guerrero Jr.
Slugging first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. went 2-for-4, hitting the home run that put Toronto ahead for good and adding a ninth inning single as he tried to give the Blue Jays more insurance. He also drew an intentional walk with one on and two outs in the seventh, later coming around to score.
The Blue Jays have won nine games this postseason, and Vladdy Jr. has left the yard in six of those wins: while the Dodgers’ lineup is loaded with talent from top to bottom, giving them plenty of fallback options if one of their stars is struggling, Toronto’s offensive production begins (and often ends) with Guerrero.
Now slashing .419/.500/.806 this postseason, he’s having one of the best Octobers of all time.
Loser: Shohei Ohtani
No sport can humble an athlete like baseball can. Even the best batters barely reach base 40 percent of the time, and the best pitchers give up plenty of home runs. One game after reaching base nine times, setting an all-time postseason record, Shohei Ohtani looked pedestrian, going 0-for-3 with two strikeouts and a walk.
He also got tagged for four runs in his World Series pitching debut, giving up a go-ahead home run to Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and then running into trouble to begin the seventh inning, a four-run frame for the Blue Jays that put the Dodgers out of the game.
That’s baseball.
Winner: Blue Jays’ Bullpen
Barely 15 hours after covering 12.2 innings and still taking the loss, Toronto’s bullpen shut down the mighty Dodgers in one of the best bounce-back performances of this postseason. Mason Fluharty picked up two outs on four pitches to wriggle out of a jam with two aboard, including a three pitch strikeout of Tommy Edman; Chris Bassitt mowed through two innings on 20 pitches, while Louis Varland gave up one run in the ninth but still managed to slam the door shut.
Manager John Schneider deserves credit for moving them in and out of Game 3 quickly enough to return to them the following day, but it’s his gutsy bullpen arms who secured the win and tied the series 2-2.
