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Only 24 hours after enduring one of the most exhausting losses in Fall Classic history, the Blue Jays played with total command.

Guerrero smashed a two-run home run and Bieber delivered a steady outing as the Blue Jays defeated the Dodgers 6-2 in the fourth game on Tuesday night at Dodger Stadium, tying the Fall Classic at two wins apiece and guaranteeing the matchup will return to Toronto.

The Blue Jays had passed the early hours of Tuesday dealing with their 18-inning Game 3 loss – tied for the longest Fall Classic contest ever – a loss that cost them the opportunity to take the lead in the matchup and burned through both bullpens. Skipper John Schneider stated afterwards that “the Dodgers took a game, not the championship”. A day later, his squad provided emphatic evidence.

Early Action

The Dodgers again struck first. Max Muncy walked in the second, advanced on a base hit and scored on Hernández's fly out. But the early score did not shake a Toronto team that topped Major League Baseball with 49 come-from-behind victories this season.

They responded right away in the third. Nathan Lukes hit a one-out base hit to center field and Guerrero stepped in looking for a breaking ball. Ohtani left a sweeper up and he drove it soaring over the outfield fence. It was his first extra-base hit of the series and his seventh home run this playoffs – a fresh team record – restoring the Toronto's advantage after 13 scoreless innings and changing the momentum of the game.

Shohei's Performance

That hit also halted Shohei Ohtani's record-setting run of 11 consecutive plate appearances reaching base. The dual-threat phenomenon had smashed two homers and got on base a record nine times in the Los Angeles' Game 3 comeback win. But on that night, he took the mound on limited rest – his shortest ever – after requiring an IV to recuperate from the prior extra-inning game.

Ohtani pitch speed was under his seasonal average and he struggled more as the game progressed. Even so, he displayed flashes of his typical command, setting down 11 of 12 after Guerrero's blast and striking out six. He even walked in the first to continue his Fall Classic record. But the Toronto made him work: six hits and four runs were credited to him in over six innings.

Seventh Inning Surge

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

Varsho opened the seventh with a clean hit to right field, and Clement drilled a two-base hit off the fence to put runners on with none out. Roberts had no option but to pull the starter, who departed to a standing ovation from the local fans. The Dodgers' relief corps could not complete the escape.

Banda inherited the mess and immediately fell behind. Andrés Giménez battled to a full count before driving in the runner with a base hit to left field. France followed with a fielder's choice to make it 4-1, and that was sufficient to remove Banda out of the game. Treinen came in next but also was unable to stem the rally: Bichette and Addison Barger hit RBI singles through the diamond, capping a four-score outburst that extended the margin to 6-1.

Blue Jays's Resilience

The Blue Jays's capacity to absorb early blows and answer has characterized their entire run. They once again succeeded without George Springer, the injured leadoff man who exited Game 3 after straining his oblique.

Bieber, in contrast, was everything the Blue Jays required. Acquired mid-season while completing recovery from Tommy John surgery, the former award-winning winner left multiple runners and silenced the Los Angeles' dangerous batting order. He gave up one run on four hits and three free passes before Schneider called on rookie left-hander Fluharty to confront the core of the order in the sixth. Fluharty required just 4 pitches to retire Muncy and Edman, preserving a narrow advantage that soon became comfortable.

Former starter Bassitt then pitched a clean seventh and eighth innings as the Dodgers' bats kept to struggle. The Dodgers have scored only 3 scores over their last 20 innings, an sudden downturn for a club that ranked among MLB's elite lineups all year.

Closing Innings

The Dodgers managed a run in the ninth when Tommy Edman grounded out to score Teoscar Hernández after a walk and Muncy's two-base hit put two on base. But Varland closed it down without allowing a rally to develop.

Following a game when Toronto left a Fall Classic-record 19 baserunners and fell apart after wave upon wave of wasted opportunities, the fourth contest was ruthlessly efficient. 6 different Blue Jays collected hits, 5 brought home runs and the squad cashed nearly every run-scoring opportunity available in the late innings.

Looking Ahead

The victory ensures the World Series trophy will be awarded at Rogers Centre, where the Toronto have not celebrated a title since Carter's famous walk-off home run in 1993. They now are aware they are assured a packed house in Canada on Friday night – and possibly Saturday – no matter what happens next in Los Angeles.

Game 5 approaches with the series reset and momentum shifting to Toronto. Los Angeles pitcher Snell (3-1, 2.42 ERA) will attempt to arrest the Blue Jays's surge. Toronto counter with rookie Trey Yesavage (2-1, 4.26 ERA) in a rematch of the opener, when the Toronto knocked out Snell quickly in an decisive victory.