LOS ANGELES — The Hangover IV.
Like that exhausted franchise, the Dodgers and Toronto Blue Jays returned to the stage with less energy and enthusiasm for their parts, fatigued from the historic drama of Game 3 on Monday night.
Not even the pregame screeching of Ken Jeong or the flexing of Flea could shock much life into Game 4 on Tuesday. Prince Harry and Meghan would be forgiven if they thought they had stumbled into a weekend series in July, not the Fall Classic.
The biggest jolt of excitement came in the third inning when Vladimir Guerrero Jr. hit a two-run home run off Shohei Ohtani that put the Blue Jays in front to stay. Another crooked number against the Dodgers’ bullpen in the seventh inning cemented a 6-2 Game 4 victory that evened the World Series at two games apiece.
Game 5 is scheduled for Wednesday at 5 p.m. with a rematch of the Game 1 starting pitchers – Blake Snell for the Dodgers, rookie right-hander Trey Yesavage for the Blue Jays. This championship will be decided north of the border in Game 6 or 7.
The Dodgers weren’t very good in July – and they weren’t very good in this sequel. Both their tepid offense and the warm weather recalled those days.
They scratched out a run in the second inning against Blue Jays starter Shane Bieber. Max Muncy worked a one-out walk, went to third on a single by Tommy Edman and scored on a sacrifice fly by Kiké Hernandez.
That was all the productivity they could manage returning to work after a late night of partying.
They had just four hits in the first seven innings and didn’t get another runner to second base until the sixth inning, giving fans no use for their rally towels other than wiping the mustard from their lips.
After reaching base nine times in Game 3 – including walks in his last five plate appearances – Ohtani walked to lead off the first inning for the Dodgers. That extended his World Series record to 11 consecutive plate appearances in which he reached base (starting with an eighth-inning single in Game 2). But it ended there, Ohtani was 0 for 3 with two strikeouts the rest of the way.
On the mound, he showed some of the effects of all that walking – and running – in Game 3. His fastball velocity was down slightly, from fatigue or a strategic attempt to extend his resources. He relied more on his sweeper and curveball.
Even superheroes make mistakes – come on, Superman went to work for a newspaper – and Ohtani made his when he hung a sweeper to Guerrero for the two-run home run.
Still, Ohtani got into the seventh inning for a pitching staff stretched thin by Tuesday’s doubleheader-in-one Game 3. When he gave up a leadoff single to Daulton Varsho and a double off the wall to Ernie Clement in the seventh, Ohtani’s time on the mound was over.
After their heroic effort in Game 3 – six relievers held the Blue Jays scoreless for the final 11 innings of the 18-inning marathon – the Dodgers’ bullpen went back to their troublesome ways.
Anthony Banda gave up an RBI single to Andres Gimenez but seemed to be headed for an escape when Muncy handled Isiah Kiner-Falefa’s line drive and fired across the diamond to get Gimenez for a double play.
The play at first was close, though, and replay review overturned the call. That opened the door for another run to score on a ground out and two more on back-to-back RBI singles by Bo Bichette and Addison Barger after Blake Treinen entered the game.
More to come on this story.