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Less than a day following enduring one of the most exhausting losses in World Series annals, the Blue Jays displayed complete command.

Guerrero smashed a two-run home run and Bieber provided a composed start as the Blue Jays beat the Dodgers 6-2 in Game 4 on Tuesday evening at Dodger Stadium, tying the World Series at two games each and guaranteeing the matchup will head back to Canada.

Toronto had passed the morning of the next day dealing with their 18-inning third game defeat – equal to the lengthiest World Series game ever – a defeat that cost them the opportunity to lead the series and depleted both relief corps. Skipper John Schneider stated later that “the Dodgers won a game, not the World Series”. Twenty-three hours later, his squad offered convincing evidence.

Initial Action

The Dodgers again struck first. Max Muncy drew a walk in the second, advanced on a single and scored on Kiké Hernández's fly out. But the initial score did not rattle a Blue Jays club that led Major League Baseball with 49 come-from-behind wins this year.

They responded right away in the third. Lukes hit a one away base hit to center field and Guerrero stepped in hunting a breaking ball. Ohtani threw a slider up and he drove it screaming over the left-center wall. It was his initial long hit of the series and his seventh homer this playoffs – a new team record – regaining the Blue Jays's advantage after 13 shutout innings and shifting the momentum of the game.

Shohei's Night

That hit also halted Shohei Ohtani's record-setting streak of 11 consecutive at-bats getting on base. The dual-threat star had smashed two home runs and got on base a historic nine times in the Dodgers' third game walk-off. But on that night, he took the mound on short rest – his briefest ever – after needing an IV to recover from the prior marathon.

Ohtani fastball velocity was below his seasonal norm and he labored more as the game progressed. Nonetheless, he showed flashes of his usual control, retiring 11 of 12 after Guerrero's blast and striking out six. He even walked in the first to extend his World Series record. But the Blue Jays made him work: six base hits and four runs were credited to him in over six frames.

Seventh Inning Surge

The larger issue for the Dodgers was what followed when he eventually lost steam.

Varsho opened the seventh with a sharp single to right field, and Clement drilled a double off the fence to put two on with no outs. Roberts had little choice but to remove Ohtani, who departed to a roaring applause from the home crowd. The Los Angeles' bullpen could not finish the inning.

Banda inherited the mess and right away fell behind. Giménez fought to a full count before driving in the runner with a single to left. Ty France came up next with a groundout to make it 4-1, and that was enough to knock Banda out of the contest. Blake Treinen came in next but also failed to stop the rally: Bichette and Barger punched run-scoring singles through the diamond, capping a four-run outburst that pushed the lead to 6-1.

Toronto's Resilience

The Blue Jays's ability to withstand initial setbacks and answer has characterized their entire run. They once again did it without George Springer, the injured leadoff hitter who exited the third game after straining his right side.

Shane Bieber, meanwhile, was exactly what the Blue Jays needed. Acquired during the summer while finishing rehab from Tommy John surgery, the former Cy Young winner stranded multiple runners and quieted the Dodgers' potent lineup. He allowed one earned run on four base hits and three free passes before the manager summoned rookie left-hander Mason Fluharty to face the core of the order in the sixth inning. He required just four throws to retire Muncy and Edman, protecting a narrow lead that quickly grew safe.

Converted starting pitcher Chris Bassitt then pitched a clean seventh and eighth as the Los Angeles' bats kept to struggle. The Dodgers have scored only three runs over their previous 20 innings, an sudden downturn for a team that ranked among baseball's elite offenses all year.

Final Innings

The Los Angeles scraped a run in the ninth when Tommy Edman hit into an out to score Hernández after a base on balls and Max Muncy's two-base hit put runners aboard. But Varland finished the game without allowing a rally to develop.

After a night when Toronto stranded a World Series-record 19 runners and fell apart after repeated of wasted chances, the fourth contest was ruthlessly efficient. 6 different Blue Jays recorded hits, five brought home scores and the squad cashed nearly every scoring chance presented in the late stanzas.

Looking Ahead

The win ensures the championship title will be presented at their home stadium, where the Blue Jays have not celebrated a championship since Joe Carter's iconic walk-off homer in '93. They now are aware they are guaranteed a packed crowd in Toronto on Friday night – and perhaps the next day – no matter what happens next in Los Angeles.

Game 5 looms with the series reset and energy swinging to Toronto. Los Angeles left-hander Snell (3-1, 2.42 ERA) will try to halt the Blue Jays's surge. Toronto counter with first-year player Trey Yesavage (2-1, 4.26 ERA) in a repeat of Game 1, when the Blue Jays knocked out Snell early in an decisive win.