Dodgers face must-win Game 5 in final home game of 2025 World Series

Dodgers face must-win game: TEAM COVERAGE

The excitement remains high for Dodger fans as they hope the Boys in Blue can take the World Series lead against the Blue Jays on Wednesday night.

LOS ANGELES - Wednesday brings a crucial Game 5 in the World Series after the Toronto Blue Jays evened up the series against the Los Angeles Dodgers Tuesday night. 

Recapping Game 4

What we know:

One of the key moments in Game 4 was when Vladimir Guerrero Jr. hit a two-run homer off Shohei Ohtani in the third inning, helping Toronto get back on track with a 6-2 victory on the road.

"I was the last one to go in," Guerrero said after the game. "I saw everybody with their heads down. I said, ‘Come on, bro. Head up. It’s not over yet. It’s not over yet. They gotta win four. Four games. You have to win four games to win the World Series. It’s not over.’"

Game 4 followed a spectacular Game 3 that went 18 innings, lasting 6 hours and 39 minutes.

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Ohtani took the mound just 17 hours after he reached base nine times and smashed four extra-base hits. He yielded four runs on six hits while pitching six-plus innings with six strikeouts in Game 4. After Guerrero hit his majestic homer, the Blue Jays tagged Ohtani for two more runs while chasing him during their four-run seventh.

Young Dodger fan doesn't hold back frustration

A young Dodger fan did not hold back his frustration towards the Boys in Blue's World Series foe, Toronto Blue Jays.

Ohtani couldn’t make up for it at the plate, going 0-for-3 with a walk and two strikeouts. He was on deck when the game ended.

"We’re facing quality arms at this time of year against really good teams," Ohtani said through his interpreter. "We’re facing the best of the best, so I think it’s not that easy. At the same time, we could do at least the bare minimum and put up some runs."

The Dodgers’ two-way superstar was outpitched by Shane Bieber, the Blue Jays newcomer who returned from Tommy John surgery in late August. The 2020 AL Cy Young Award winner gave up just one run over 5 1/3 innings in a resilient World Series debut.

For all its drama, Game 3 was no more important than Game 4. Now, the Dodgers hope to get a win in the last game of the series at home.

What's next:

Game 5 is Wednesday at Dodger Stadium, with Game 6 in Toronto on Friday. Dodgers lefty Blake Snell (3-1, 2.42 ERA) faces Blue Jays rookie Trey Yesavage (2-1, 4.26 ERA) in the pivotal Game 5. It’s a pitching rematch of the Series opener, when Toronto handed Snell his only loss of a previously dominant postseason by chasing him at the start of a nine-run sixth inning in an 11-4 win. Yesavage pitched four innings of two-run ball.