Blue Jays-Dodgers World Series Game 4: Jays Get to Ohtani and Even Up the Series

[Jesse Burrill]

No matter what happens from this point forward, the World Series will end in Toronto.

On Tuesday night in L.A., the Blue Jays got to Shohei Ohtani, both on the mound and at the plate, as they were able to break through late and escape with a 6-2 win against the Dodgers to even the World Series at two games apiece.

Coming into the game, the Blue Jays had every reason to come out flat. Just 18 hours earlier, they were dejected after spending six hours and 39 minutes in a gruelling battle with the defending champions. On the 297th pitch of the night, Freddie Freeman’s solo home run off Brendon Little gave L.A. a 2-1 series lead. It felt like the Dodgers had all the momentum in the world, especially with Ohtani set to take the mound in Game 4.

But there is an old cliché in baseball that momentum is just the next day’s starting pitcher, and in this case, momentum would turn in the Toronto Blue Jays' favour, thanks to a strong performance from Shane Bieber.

Bieber's first three starts this postseason were a bit of a mixed bag. Against the Yankees in the ALDS, he allowed three runs and didn’t make it out of the third inning, but he followed that with a six-inning and two-earned run performance in Game 3 of the ALCS against the Mariners. Then in Game 7 of the ALCS, Bieber gave up seven hits and two earned runs and didn’t get through the fourth inning.

But Bieber turned it on and threw a gem in what potentially could be his final start of the 2025 season. After walking Ohtani to begin the bottom of the first, Bieber retired the next three to escape the inning. He got Teoscar Hernández to ground out to begin the second, but then he walked Max Muncy, and Tommy Edman singled, advancing Muncy to third. Following an Enrique Hernández sac fly, the Blue Jays found themselves in a position they’ve been in every game this series: losing 1-0.

Bieber then found his groove. He retired 11 of the next 13 hitters before being lifted with two on and one out in the 6th inning. The final line for Bieber was 5.1 innings pitched, four hits, and, most importantly, just one earned run allowed.

Bieber was able to settle in thanks to the offence, and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. was at the center of it. In the top of the third inning, just after the Dodgers had taken the lead, Nathan Lukes singled with one out to set up Guerrero, who, after getting ahead in the count 2-0 and fouling back a fastball to make it 2-1, was able to do this to a sweeper up in the zone:

 

The home run was Guerrero's seventh of these playoffs, which increased his franchise record for most home runs in a single postseason. He now joins only Randy Arozarena as players with 25 hits and seven home runs in one postseason. Most importantly for the Blue Jays, it gave them the lead.

With the score still 2-1 into the sixth inning, Bieber allowed two of the first three hitters to reach base, and John Schneider went with the rookie left-hander Mason Fluharty to escape the jam. He couldn't have executed any better. A one-pitch out to Muncy followed by a three-pitch strikeout of Edman, and Fluharty got out of the inning unscathed. The Blue Jays' win probability jumped from 54.7% to 70% after just two outs.

A one-run game against this Dodgers lineup never feels comfortable, but in the top of the seventh, the Blue Jays finally broke it open. It started with a Daulton Varsho leadoff single and an Ernie Clement double (that just missed clearing the fence). In true Blue Jays fashion, Andrés Giménez worked an eight-pitch at-bat off a tough lefty, fouling off a couple of two-strike pitches to punch one into left field for a two-run single.

Andrés Giménez vs. Anthony Banda via Baseball Savant

Bo Bichette launched an RBI single, and Addison Barger added one of his own, and just like that, the Blue Jays had added four more runs and had a 6-1 lead. All that was left to do was to get nine more outs, and the Blue Jays had a plan.

They immediately turned to Chris Bassitt, pitching on back-to-back days for the first time in his career, and once again, he delivered. Enrique Hernández grounded out softly to short, and then, after a strikeout of Alex Call, Bassitt was set to face the top of the Dodgers order. He got Ohtani to swing at a pitch in off his hands for an easy groundout. Inning over. 

Bassitt was left out for the eighth, and after a lead-off single by Mookie Betts, a strikeout of Freeman, and a Will Smith double play, the righty had done his job.

Bassitt’s postseason line is remarkable: 6.1 IP with just one hit, one walk, and eight strikeouts. He’s quickly turned into a high-leverage relief option for the Blue Jays at a time they needed one most. Louis Varland gave up two hits and a run in the ninth, but ultimately the Blue Jays were able to seal the deal and even up the series at two games apiece.

In a way, Game 4 was a microcosm of the Blue Jays' season: get down early, get good starting pitching, string multiple hits together to start a rally, and get a massive home run from the superstar. It's a script that not even Hollywood could write.

If the Blue Jays find a way to get a win in Game 5, then they'll have a chance to win the World Series at home over the course of the weekend. That would be the happy ending every fan is dreaming of. 

View full article

[Leo Morgenstern]

"Pitching, grit, and Vladimir Guerrero Jr."

Hell yeah.