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Only 24 hours following staggering through one of the most exhausting losses in World Series history, the Toronto Blue Jays displayed complete control.

Guerrero smashed a two-run home run and Shane Bieber provided a composed outing as Toronto beat the Dodgers 6-2 in the fourth game on Tuesday evening at Dodger Stadium, tying the World Series at two games each and ensuring the matchup will head back to Canada.

Toronto had passed the early hours of Tuesday processing their 18-inning Game 3 loss – equal to the longest Fall Classic contest ever – a defeat that denied them the opportunity to take the lead in the series and burned through both relief corps. Skipper Schneider stated later that “they won a game, not the championship”. A day later, his squad offered convincing proof.

Initial Action

The Dodgers again scored first. Muncy walked in the second inning, moved up on a single and crossed the plate on Hernández's sacrifice fly. But the initial score did not shake a Toronto team that topped Major League Baseball with 49 come-from-behind victories this year.

They answered right away in the third. Nathan Lukes hit a one-out single to center field and Vladimir Guerrero Jr stepped in looking for a curveball. Ohtani left a slider up and he sent it screaming over the left-center wall. It was his initial long hit of the series and his seventh homer this postseason – a new team record – regaining the Blue Jays's advantage after 13 shutout frames and shifting the tone of the game.

Ohtani's Performance

That hit also ended Ohtani's record-setting run of 11 straight plate appearances getting on base. The dual-threat phenomenon had hit two home runs and got on base a record nine times in the Los Angeles' third game walk-off. But on Tuesday, he started on short rest – his shortest ever – after requiring an IV to recuperate from the previous extra-inning game.

Ohtani pitch speed was under his regular-season norm and he labored more as the contest progressed. Even so, he displayed flashes of his usual command, setting down 11 of 12 after Guerrero Jr's homer and fanning six. He even walked in the first inning to extend his Fall Classic record. But the Toronto forced him to labor: six hits and four earned runs were credited to him in six-plus innings.

Late Game Surge

The bigger problem for Los Angeles was what followed when Ohtani finally ran out of steam.

Daulton Varsho opened the seventh with a clean hit to right, and Clement smashed a double off the fence to put two on with no outs. Dave Roberts had little choice but to remove the starter, who departed to a standing ovation from the home crowd. The Los Angeles' relief corps could not finish the inning.

Anthony Banda came into the jam and right away fell behind. Andrés Giménez battled to a full count before scoring the runner with a single to left. Ty France came up next with a fielder's choice to make it 4-1, and that was enough to knock the pitcher out of the game. Blake Treinen entered next but also failed to stop the momentum: Bo Bichette and Addison Barger hit RBI base hits through the diamond, capping a four-score outburst that pushed the lead to 6-1.

Toronto's Toughness

The Toronto's ability to absorb initial setbacks and answer has defined their entire run. They once again did it without George Springer, the hurt leadoff man who left Game 3 after tweaking his right side.

Shane Bieber, in contrast, was exactly what the Blue Jays needed. Acquired mid-season while finishing recovery from Tommy John surgery, the ex- award-winning winner left several runners and quieted the Dodgers' potent lineup. He gave up one earned run on four base hits and three walks before Schneider summoned rookie pitcher Mason Fluharty to confront the heart of the lineup in the sixth inning. Fluharty needed just four throws to get out Muncy and Edman, protecting a narrow advantage that soon became comfortable.

Former starter Bassitt then pitched a clean seventh and eighth as the Dodgers' bats kept to sputter. The Dodgers have produced only three runs over their previous 20 frames, an sudden downturn for a club that was among MLB's top lineups all year.

Final Innings

The Dodgers managed a score in the ninth when Tommy Edman grounded out to bring home Teoscar Hernández after a base on balls and Max Muncy's double put runners on base. But Varland closed it down without allowing a comeback to build.

After a game when the Blue Jays left a Fall Classic-record 19 baserunners and fell apart after wave upon wave of wasted chances, Game 4 was ruthlessly efficient. 6 separate Toronto players collected base hits, 5 brought home scores and the team converted nearly every scoring opportunity available in the late innings.

Looking Ahead

The win guarantees the World Series trophy will be awarded at their home stadium, where the Blue Jays have not celebrated a championship since Carter's iconic walk-off home run in 1993. They now are aware they are guaranteed a full crowd in Toronto on Friday evening – and perhaps the next day – no matter what occurs next in LA.

Game 5 approaches with the matchup reset and energy swinging north. Dodgers left-hander Snell (3-1, 2.42 ERA) will try to halt the Blue Jays's surge. Toronto respond with first-year player Yesavage (2-1, 4.26 ERA) in a rematch of Game 1, when the Toronto chased the starter early in an 11-4 win.