Blue Jays Bounce Back By Proving Ohtani’s Mortality In World Series Game 4

LOS ANGELES — The Blue Jays lost a heartbreaker connected Monday, an 18-inning slog that tied for nan longest successful postseason history successful which they utilized each position subordinate and reliever connected their roster. Their bosom and psyche and 1 of nan champion October players of each time, DH George Springer, is out pinch an oblique injury for an chartless play of time. They arrived astatine Dodger Stadium connected Tuesday to look nan top subordinate who ever lived, a man truthful vulnerable that they intentionally walked him a postseason grounds 4 times nan nighttime before—and he was besides starting nan crippled connected nan mound. 

So naturally, they won Game 4, 6–2, to moreover nan World Series astatine 2 games apiece. 

If so this is nan David vs. Goliath matchup immoderate person formed it as, it mightiness beryllium worthy remembering that David won nan battle.

In today’s game, location is nary greater elephantine than Shohei Ohtani, and astatine first, it seemed that Game 4 would only burnish nan bequest he is writing. In Game 3, he reached guidelines a record-smashing 9 times—three much than anyone other ever had successful a postseason game. When astir starting pitchers would beryllium resting and studying nan adjacent day’s hitters, Ohtani was collecting 2 doubles and 2 location runs, past racking up 5 walks—four officially intentional, 1 unofficially intentional. 

In nan moments aft Freddie Freeman deed a walk-off homer to bring nan crippled to a merciful end, nan Dodgers gathered successful nan clubhouse, almost punch-drunk. Manager Dave Roberts told them he had ne'er been much proud of them and reminded them that it would return nan full roster to triumph a World Series. He referenced nan measurement Ohtani had insisted that his masterpiece successful Game 4 of nan NLCS—six scoreless innings, 3 location runs—had been a squad effort. “Enjoy nan s--- retired of it,” Roberts encouraged. As they cheered, he pointed astatine his wrist. “Hey!” he added. “We sewage a crippled later today!” Behind him, nan astir important personification connected that roster giggled arsenic he raised his arms skyward and pantomimed his pitching motion. 

Then he sewage retired of there. Immediately aft nan game, he had told SI’s Tom Verducci, “I request to spell to bed.” It was possibly nan only relatable point Ohtani has ever said. 

He near nan ballpark astatine 12:10 a.m., sipping a sports drink, and he was guzzling different 16 ½ hours later arsenic he warmed up successful near field. He worked astir a locomotion and a azygous successful nan first. 

Four and a half minutes later, he was opinionated connected first base. Blue Jays head John Schneider acknowledged aft Game 3 that he did not spot overmuch constituent successful pitching to Ohtani going forward, and indeed, moreover to lead disconnected nan game, starter Shane Bieber only put 1 transportation definitively successful nan onslaught zone. 

Finally, successful nan third, Bieber sounded to him—and by staying debased and tight to nan zone, he sewage Ohtani to onslaught retired connected a foul tip. 

It marked Ohtani’s first retired astatine Dodger Stadium since Oct. 16. In nan meantime, he deed 3 location runs and walked successful NLCS Game 4; deed those 2 homers and 2 doubles and took those 5 walks successful World Series Game 3; and walked successful nan first inning of Game 4. He struck retired again, this clip looking, successful nan fifth, and grounded retired successful nan seventh. 

Shohei Ohtani, left, went 0-for-3 pinch a locomotion and 2 strikeouts astatine nan sheet successful Game 4, and took nan nonaccomplishment connected nan mound by allowing 4 runs successful six innings. / Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images

Meanwhile, nan Blue Jays looked fresher than nan Dodgers. L.A. put a runner connected guidelines successful 5 of nan first six innings but only scored once, fooled by Bieber’s expertise to rotation and find nan ball. Ohtani nan pitcher made his first correction successful nan 3rd erstwhile he threw a sweeper that didn’t expanse to Vladimir Guerrero Jr. pinch a man connected first. Guerrero whacked it into nan left-center section stands. 

The people remained 2–1 until nan seventh, erstwhile Daulton Varsho lined Ohtani’s 90th transportation into correct section and Ernie Clement followed pinch a ringing double to center. Roberts summoned lefty Anthony Banda to look nan left-handed Andrés Giménez, who worked a afloat count and past singled successful an security run. Two batters later, pinch hitter Ty France managed an RBI groundout, and aft nan Dodgers intentionally walked Guerrero, righty Blake Treinen gave up consecutive run-scoring singles. It was a classical Blue Jays inning: 4 singles, a double, nary strikeouts, 2 runs scored pinch 2 outs. 

The Dodgers attempted a rally successful nan ninth erstwhile Louis Varland, pitching for nan 13th clip successful 15 Toronto postseason games, allowed a walk, a double and an RBI groundout, but he retired nan adjacent 2 hitters to extremity it. The triumph guaranteed different 2 games—but fortunately for everyone, those will not travel until Wednesday and Friday. 

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