Blue Jays Even Series with Dodgers, Guerrero powers Game 4 Victory
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The Toronto Blue Jays have leveled their World Series clash with the Los angeles Dodgers at 2-2, securing a crucial 6-2 win on Tuesday night. This victory ensures the best-of-seven series will continue, with three games remaining to determine the champion.
The Dodgers initially took the lead in the second inning thanks to a sacrifice fly from Enrique Hernández, but the Blue Jays quickly responded. In the very next frame, star player Vladimir Guerrero Jr. dramatically shifted the momentum with a powerful swing.
Pitching proved pivotal in the contest. While Dodgers starter Shohei Ohtani delivered a solid performance despite apparent fatigue following a grueling 18-inning Game 3 on Monday, Toronto’s Shane Bieber was slightly more effective. Bieber’s strong outing set the stage for the Blue Jays to extend their lead in a decisive seventh inning.
Vlad Continues to Shine
Guerrero Jr. launched a solo home run in the third, a 2-1 lead for toronto, a lead they would steadily build upon.
Guerrero’s impressive postseason performance continues, with his current slash line for the 2025 playoffs standing at .419/.500/.806 after a 2-for-4 night. Through the first four games of the World Series, he’s batting a remarkable .368/.478/.526.
The Jays Blew it Open in the Seventh
Entering the top of the seventh inning with a narrow 2-1 advantage, the Toronto lineup – missing George Springer – went to work. A single from Daulton Varsho followed by a double from Ernie Clement forced Dodgers starter Ohtani off the mound. The offensive pressure didn’t relent against reliever Anthony Banda, as Andrés Giménez drove in a run with a single, extending the lead to 3-1.
Two batters later, Ty France added another run on a groundout.Guerrero was intentionally walked,mirroring the strategy employed against Ohtani in Game 3.The Dodgers then brought in struggling reliever Blake Treinen, who quickly conceded two more singles, pushing the score to 6-1 in favor of the Blue Jays. Even the final out of the inning,an Alejandro Kirk line-out,had an expected batting average of .340, highlighting the team’s relentless offensive attack.
Before the seventh inning, the Blue Jays had a 69.5% chance of winning Game 4. By the inning’s conclusion, that probability soared to 96.3%.
Ohtani Grinded Through Fatigue
Despite the demanding schedule – reaching base nine times in a six-hour and 39-minute Game 3 – Shohei Ohtani took the mound as the Dodgers’ starting pitcher for Game 4. He delivered a commendable start, pitching into the seventh inning. Ohtani allowed four runs – two after his departure – on six hits, with six strikeouts and one walk.
“That’s not vintage ohtani on the mound, but it was six innings on a night the Dodger bullpen badly needed a load on the light side,” one observer commented. His performance included a remarkably efficient seven-pitch second inning and striking out the side in the fourth.
At the plate,Ohtani extended his impressive streak of reaching base,earning a walk in the first inning – his 11th consecutive plate appearance reaching base. However, he finished the game 0-for-3 with two strikeouts.
Series Returns to Toronto
With the series now tied 2-2, it has effectively become a best-of-three contest. This means at least one game will be played at Rogers Center in Toronto, where the Blue Jays hold a dominant 59-30 playoff record, second only to the Phillies in all of MLB. The hope for an upset remains very much alive.
The next challenge comes with Game 5 on Wednesday night, back at Dodger Stadium. First pitch is scheduled for 8:00 p.m. ET, featuring a pitching rematch of Game 1: right-hander Trey Yesavage for Toronto against lefty Blake Snell of the Dodgers. The stakes are exceptionally high, as history suggests the team that takes a 3-2 lead in a best-of-seven MLB playoff series goes on to win the series approximately 70% of the time.
