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Only 24 hours following enduring one of the most exhausting defeats in World Series history, the Toronto Blue Jays played with complete control.

Guerrero crushed a two-run home run and Bieber provided a composed outing as Toronto defeated the Dodgers 6-2 in Game 4 on Tuesday night at their home ballpark, tying the World Series at two games each and guaranteeing the series will return to Canada.

The Blue Jays had passed the early hours of the next day processing their marathon third game defeat – tied for the lengthiest World Series contest ever – a loss that cost them the opportunity to lead the series and burned through both relief corps. Manager Schneider stated later that “the Dodgers won a contest, not the World Series”. A day later, his squad offered emphatic evidence.

Early Action

The Los Angeles again scored first. Muncy walked in the second inning, advanced on a base hit and crossed the plate on Kiké Hernández's sacrifice fly. But the early score did not shake a Toronto team that led Major League Baseball with 49 comeback wins this season.

They responded immediately in the third. Nathan Lukes lined a one-out single to centre and Guerrero stepped in hunting a breaking ball. Shohei Ohtani threw a slider up and Guerrero sent it screaming over the outfield fence. It was his first long hit of the series and his seventh home run this postseason – a fresh club mark – restoring the Blue Jays's advantage after 13 shutout innings and shifting the tone of the game.

Ohtani's Performance

That swing also ended Shohei Ohtani's record-setting run of 11 consecutive at-bats reaching base. The two-way phenomenon had smashed two homers and reached safely a record nine times in the Los Angeles' third game walk-off. But on that night, he took the mound on limited rest – his briefest ever – after requiring an IV to recover from the previous marathon.

Ohtani pitch speed sat below his regular-season average and he struggled more as the game progressed. Nonetheless, he displayed flashes of his typical command, retiring 11 of 12 after Guerrero's blast and striking out six. He even walked in the first inning to continue his World Series record. But the Blue Jays made him work: six base hits and four runs were charged to him in six-plus innings.

Late Game Rally

The bigger problem for Los Angeles was what came next when he finally lost steam.

Daulton Varsho started the seventh with a clean hit to right field, and Clement smashed a two-base hit off the fence to put two on with none out. Roberts had no option but to remove Ohtani, who exited to a standing ovation from the local fans. The Los Angeles' relief corps could not finish the escape.

Anthony Banda came into the jam and immediately fell behind. Giménez battled to a 3-2 count before driving in the runner with a base hit to left. Ty France followed with a groundout to make it 4-1, and that was sufficient to remove Banda out of the game. Blake Treinen came in next but also was unable to stop the momentum: Bichette and Addison Barger punched RBI base hits through the infield, completing a four-score outburst that pushed the margin to 6-1.

Toronto's Toughness

The Blue Jays's ability to withstand early blows and respond has defined their entire postseason. They once again did it without George Springer, the hurt leadoff hitter who left the third game after straining his oblique.

Shane Bieber, in contrast, was exactly what the Blue Jays required. Acquired during the summer while completing rehab from Tommy John surgery, the ex- award-winning winner stranded several runners and quieted the Dodgers' dangerous lineup. He allowed one earned run on four hits and three walks before Schneider summoned rookie pitcher Fluharty to confront the heart of the lineup in the sixth. Fluharty required just 4 pitches to retire Muncy and Tommy Edman, protecting a narrow lead that quickly became comfortable.

Converted starter Chris Bassitt then worked a clean seventh and eighth innings as the Dodgers' offense continued to sputter. Los Angeles have scored only three runs over their previous 20 frames, an sudden downturn for a team that was among MLB's top offenses all season.

Final Moments

The Dodgers scraped a run in the ninth when Edman hit into an out to score Hernández after a walk and Max Muncy's double put two aboard. But Louis Varland finished the game without allowing a comeback to build.

Following a night when the Blue Jays stranded a Fall Classic-record 19 baserunners and fell apart after wave upon wave of wasted chances, the fourth contest was ruthlessly efficient. 6 different Toronto players collected hits, five drove in scores and the squad converted almost every run-scoring chance presented in the final stanzas.

Looking Ahead

The victory guarantees the championship title will be awarded at their home stadium, where the Toronto have not celebrated a title since Carter's iconic walk-off home run in 1993. They now are aware they are assured a full crowd in Toronto on Friday night – and possibly Saturday – no matter what happens next in LA.

The fifth game approaches with the matchup even and energy swinging north. Dodgers left-hander Snell (3-1, 2.42 ERA) will attempt to halt the Blue Jays's surge. The Blue Jays counter with first-year player Yesavage (2-1, 4.26 ERA) in a rematch of the opener, when the Toronto knocked out Snell quickly in an 11-4 victory.