They are back in the series and will be returning home soon. Blue Jays fans are buzzing after Toronto defeated Shohei Ohtani and the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game 4 of the World Series on Tuesday.
For the second day in a row, more than 27,000 fans filled Rogers Center to watch the game on the video scoreboard. This time the party was half as long and half as sweet as fans cheered for the Jays' 6-2 victory that ended well before midnight.
Sam Hatch-Restrepo said the highlight was Vladimir Guerrero Jr.'s home run off Ohtani, which sent the Rogers Center crowd into a frenzy.
“You can never get enough of the guy who beats dingers,” he said. “Tonight was fantastic. Such a good crowd. It felt like the game was really going on. [in person]. The fans here in Toronto are incredible.”
After losing two straight games in the World Series, the Blue Jays came back in Game 4, defeating the Los Angeles Dodgers 6–2.
And now they'll have at least one more chance to root for the Blue Jays in the flesh. Tuesday's win tied the series at two games apiece, guaranteeing a sixth game in Toronto.
“I feel like it’s ours,” Hatch-Restrepo said. “Whether it's six or seven, the Jays can handle it. It's happening here at home.”
No sleep – no problems
After an 18-inning loss that ended just before 3 a.m. ET on the same day Game 4 was to be played, Jay fans, like the team itself, showed no signs of fatigue.
Deborah Rule returned to Rogers Center for the second night in a row after spending more than six hours in the stands during a heartbreaking Game 3 loss.
She said the Game 4 win energized her for a third straight night in the dome, and she plans to take the sparkly Jays jacket she bought for the World Series with her as a good-luck charm.
“I’ll come here tomorrow and keep it on,” she said.
Jace fans have fun in the Los Angeles sun
Plenty of Blue Jays gear was also on display in Los Angeles during Tuesday's game. Chris Simpson, who now lives in Arizona but grew up in Markham, said he was “a little” nervous to wear his jersey in hostile territory but ended up in a section with a handful of other Toronto fans.
“It was nice to see the Canadian contingent come out and support the guys,” he said.
While Simpson said he was “really excited” to see the Jays win a World Series game in person, his 5-year-old daughter said her favorite part of the game was “harvesting the corn.”
Another Ontario transplaNT, Paul Mercer, who wore his Toronto gear with his daughter (his wife's Dodgers cap notwithstanding), said he would celebrate the victory by whipping out the only Jays paraphernalia he brought to Los Angeles when he moved.
“All I have left from my days in Toronto is my [Jays] beer mugs and I’ll be filling them for the next games and when we win it all,” Mercer said.
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As the stadium emptied, two Jays fans told CBC News their adrenaline rush among Canadian baseball fans was “at an all-time high.”
“Freeman hit a home run yesterday, he plays for Team Canada. We had Vladdy, born in Montreal, hit a home run today. Canada is on top right now and we're so proud of our Canadian team right now,” one said.
Jace beat Ohtani 2 years after free agent madness
Tuesday's victory was especially heartwarming for Toronto fans.
The team faced Shohei Ohtani – just hours after he torched the Blue Jays with two home runs, two doubles and five walks – in his World Series pitching debut. And while the rest of the baseball world watched with excitement, some in Jays nation looked on with the bitter taste of the 2023 offseason still in their mouths.
Ohtani, whose almost superhuman combination of hitting and pitching made him the top free agent prospect that year, was hoping for a long-term contract with a new team.
Toronto was reported to be one of Ohtani's favorites, and wild speculation ensued. Private jets rumored to be flying Ohtani to Toronto were tracked, food orders from restaurants near the Rogers Center were scrutinized, and for a brief moment the team and its fans allowed themselves to believe that this courtship could end in a big deal.
The dreams of Blue Jays fans were shattered when they learned that free agent Shohei Ohtani had signed a historic $700 million contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers. Andrew Chang details the wild speculation and confusion that led to Toronto's disappointment, and how the Shark Tank and Dragons' Den judge found himself at the center of it all.
Then came the feeling of rejection. Instead, Ohtani decided to sign a 10-year contract worth US$700 million with the Dodgers.
At a party at the Rogers Center on Tuesday, thousands of miles out of Ohtani's earshot, some Jay fans were willing to admit that the rejection still stung.
“There will always be [be] it hurts feelings every time you miss a superstar,” Jays fan Kyle Warren said.
Although Ohtani was defeated in Game 4, only a Blue Jays championship could truly allow some Toronto fans to move on.
Some fans had problems streaming the fourth game
While Toronto fans were excited about the Jays' performance Tuesday night, many were disappointed with the club's ownership. Sportsnet+, also owned by Rodgers, had serious streaming issues mid-game.
Many fans have posted online about the issue, complaining about their service, given that the telecommunications company that has exclusive English-language TV rights to the World Series in Canada just raised streaming fees this season.
So @Sportsnet The app crashes for everyone during the Blue Jays' biggest inning. And this is after they raised prices without offering anything new and completely retaining MLB rights. pic.twitter.com/HsdpctTA7g
I love that Sportsnet's error message says it's our fault their streaming service isn't working, something we pay a lot of money for. pic.twitter.com/a2uPvYGr1s
I want my money back @Sportsnet. It's just ridiculous that your app doesn't work during the World Series.
“We are aware that some Sportsnet+ customers are currently experiencing issues streaming content,” read a note on the Sportsnet website, which added a link for fans wanting to watch Game 4.
A spokesperson for Rodgers' Sportsnet said in an email that there was a “minor streaming issue” Tuesday night that was quickly resolved during the game, and in the meantime a free stream was available on Sportsnet.ca. They didn't say what caused the problem.
