Blue Jays Bite Back: Guerrero Jr. Powers Toronto Past Dodgers to Even World Series

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The Toronto Blue Jays refused to back down on Tuesday night in Los Angeles. Facing a 2–1 World Series deficit and the daunting presence of Shohei Ohtani on the mound, Toronto delivered a statement performance in Game 4, riding Vladimir Guerrero Jr.’s thunderous two-run homer and a late offensive surge to a 6–2 victory over the Dodgers. The win not only evened the series at two games apiece but also swung momentum sharply back toward the Blue Jays as the Fall Classic heads toward a pivotal Game 5.

Narrative & Turning Points

Early spark for Toronto
The Dodgers again struck first, with a sacrifice-fly by Enrique Hernández (with Max Muncy scoring) in the second inning to make it 1-0.
Guerrero Jr.’s big blast

In the top of the third, with one out and a runner on, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. crushed a two-run home run off Shohei Ohtani to give the Blue Jays a 2-1 lead. That turned the momentum firmly.

- That homer was Guerrero’s seventh of the postseason, setting a new franchise record for Toronto.
Strong start for Toronto’s starter
Shane Bieber (acquired mid-season by Toronto) delivered a composed outing: roughly 5⅓ innings, 1 run allowed on 4 hits, and 3 strikeouts. He gave his team a chance to win.
Seismic seventh inning
With the Blue Jays leading 2-1, they broke the game open in the seventh: a single by Daulton Varsho, then a double by Ernie Clement put two runners in scoring position.

The Dodgers pulled Ohtani out shortly thereafter, and Toronto’s bullpen-targeted rally included RBI hits by Andrés Giménez, a ground-out RBI by Ty France, then RBI singles by Bo Bichette and Addison Barger to extend the lead to 6-1.The
Dodgers are too little, too late
The Dodgers’ offense managed only six hits, one of which was for extra bases. After the seventh-inning burst by Toronto, LA could not respond in kind. Ohtani ended up allowing 4 runs in 6+ innings with six strikeouts.

Significance & Implications

Psychological reset for Toronto: After the emotionally draining 18-inning loss in Game 3 (to go down 2-1), Toronto showed resilience — they bounced back convincingly to tie the series.
Dodgers’ bullpen vulnerability exposed: Even though Ohtani started and held his own for a chunk, the bullpen couldn’t stop the bleeding when the seventh-inning attack arrived.
Home-field guarantee for Toronto: By tying the series, Toronto has now secured that at least one of the upcoming games (specifically Game 6) will be on their home turf at Rogers Centre.
Ohtani’s short-rest challenge: Ohtani made the first World Series pitching start of his career, but on very short rest. While solid, the seventh inning unraveled, exposing fatigue.
Momentum shift: The Blue Jays’ ability to deliver timely hits and break the game open in the seventh may shift momentum heading into Game 5.

Standout Individual Performances

Vladimir Guerrero Jr.: Two-run homer and leader of the resurgence. He continues to define this in October.
Shane Bieber: Steady on the mound and gave Toronto a chance to win.
Shohei Ohtani: Struggled to dominate as he had earlier in the postseason, and the short rest likely affected him.
Blue Jays bullpen: Held strong after Bieber’s exit, closing down the Dodgers once the lead widened.

What’s Next

Game 5 will be in Los Angeles, and the pressure moves back to the Dodgers to regain control.
Toronto has now shown it can bounce back — the key will be if LA can respond and reassert its dominance.
Watching the Dodgers’ bullpen usage and how they handle their next start will be critical.
For Toronto: continue to ride the game plan of mixing timely hitting, keeping Ohtani and the Dodgers’ powerful lineup in check, and trusting their pitching depth.