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Less than a day following enduring one of the most draining defeats in World Series history, the Toronto Blue Jays displayed complete command.

Guerrero smashed a two-run home run and Shane Bieber provided a composed outing as Toronto beat the Dodgers 6-2 in Game 4 on Tuesday evening at their home ballpark, tying the World Series at two games each and ensuring the series will return to Toronto.

Toronto had passed the early hours of Tuesday processing their marathon third game defeat – tied for the lengthiest Fall Classic contest ever – a loss that denied them the opportunity to take the lead in the series and burned through both bullpens. Manager John Schneider stated later that “the Dodgers took a contest, not the World Series”. A day later, his team provided convincing proof.

Initial Innings

The Dodgers again scored first. Max Muncy drew a walk in the second inning, advanced on a base hit and scored on Kiké Hernández's sacrifice fly. But the early score did not shake a Toronto team that led Major League Baseball with 49 come-from-behind wins this season.

They responded immediately in the third. Lukes hit a one-out single to center field and Vladimir Guerrero Jr stepped in hunting a breaking ball. Ohtani left a sweeper up and Guerrero sent it screaming over the outfield fence. It was his first long hit of the World Series and his 7th home run this postseason – a fresh club mark – regaining the Blue Jays's advantage after 13 scoreless innings and changing the momentum of the night.

Ohtani's Performance

That swing also ended Ohtani's history-making run of 11 straight plate appearances reaching base. The two-way star had hit two homers and reached safely a record nine times in the Dodgers' third game walk-off. But on that night, he started on limited rest – his shortest ever – after needing an IV to recover from the prior extra-inning game.

Ohtani pitch speed was under his seasonal norm and he labored more as the game wore on. Even so, he displayed flashes of his usual control, setting down 11 of 12 after Guerrero's homer and striking out six. He even walked in the first to continue his World Series record. But the Blue Jays made him work: six base hits and four earned runs were credited to him in six-plus frames.

Seventh Inning Surge

The larger problem for Los Angeles was what followed when Ohtani eventually lost energy.

Varsho started the seventh inning with a clean single to right field, and Ernie Clement drilled a double off the wall to put two on with none out. Dave Roberts had little choice but to pull the starter, who exited to a roaring applause from the local fans. The Dodgers' relief corps could not finish the inning.

Anthony Banda inherited the jam and immediately trailed in the count. Giménez fought to a full count before driving in the runner with a single to left field. Ty France followed with a fielder's choice to make it 4-1, and that was enough to remove Banda out of the contest. Blake Treinen entered next but also was unable to stem the momentum: Bo Bichette and Barger punched RBI base hits through the infield, completing a four-run barrage that extended the lead to 6-1.

Blue Jays's Toughness

The Blue Jays's capacity to withstand early setbacks and answer has characterized their whole postseason. They once again did it without Springer, the injured leadoff man who left Game 3 after straining his right side.

Shane Bieber, meanwhile, was everything the Blue Jays required. Traded for mid-season while completing recovery from Tommy John surgery, the ex- Cy Young winner left multiple baserunners and silenced the Los Angeles' dangerous lineup. He allowed one run on four hits and three free passes before Schneider called on first-year left-hander Fluharty to confront the heart of the order in the sixth. Fluharty required just 4 throws to retire Max Muncy and Tommy Edman, preserving a fragile lead that quickly grew comfortable.

Converted starter Chris Bassitt then worked a clean seventh and eighth as the Los Angeles' bats continued to sputter. Los Angeles have scored only 3 runs over their previous 20 frames, an abrupt downturn for a team that was among baseball's elite offenses all season.

Closing Moments

The Los Angeles managed a run in the ninth inning when Edman grounded out to bring home Teoscar Hernández after a walk and Muncy's double put two aboard. But Louis Varland closed it down without allowing a comeback to develop.

Following a game when Toronto stranded a Fall Classic-record 19 baserunners and collapsed after repeated of wasted opportunities, Game 4 was ruthlessly effective. 6 separate Blue Jays collected base hits, five brought home runs and the squad converted nearly every scoring chance available in the final innings.

Next Up

The victory guarantees the championship title will be presented at their home stadium, where the Toronto have not won a championship since Joe Carter's iconic game-winning homer in '93. They now are aware they are guaranteed a full crowd in Toronto on Friday night – and perhaps the next day – no matter what occurs next in Los Angeles.

Game 5 approaches with the matchup even and momentum swinging north. Dodgers pitcher Blake Snell (3-1, 2.42 ERA) will try to arrest the Blue Jays's momentum. The Blue Jays counter with first-year player Trey Yesavage (2-1, 4.26 ERA) in a repeat of Game 1, when the Toronto knocked out Snell quickly in an decisive win.