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Only 24 hours following enduring one of the most draining defeats in Fall Classic history, the Blue Jays displayed complete command.

Guerrero smashed a two-run home run and Shane Bieber provided a steady start as Toronto defeated the Dodgers 6-2 in the fourth game on Tuesday evening at Dodger Stadium, squaring the Fall Classic at two games each and guaranteeing the series will return to Canada.

Toronto had passed the early hours of the next day dealing with their 18-inning third game defeat – tied for the lengthiest Fall Classic game ever – a loss that cost them the opportunity to lead the matchup and depleted both bullpens. Manager John Schneider insisted afterwards that “the Dodgers took a contest, not the championship”. Twenty-three hours later, his squad provided emphatic proof.

Initial Innings

The Los Angeles again struck first. Muncy walked in the second, advanced on a single and scored on Hernández's sacrifice fly. But the early score did not shake a Toronto team that led Major League Baseball with 49 come-from-behind victories this season.

They answered right away in the third inning. Nathan Lukes lined a one away single to center field and Guerrero stepped in hunting a breaking ball. Ohtani left a sweeper up and he sent it screaming over the left-center wall. It was his first extra-base hit of the World Series and his 7th home run this playoffs – a fresh club record – regaining the Blue Jays's advantage after 13 scoreless innings and changing the tone of the night.

Shohei's Night

That swing also ended Ohtani's history-making run of 11 straight plate appearances getting on base. The two-way star had hit two home runs and reached safely a historic nine times in the Dodgers' third game walk-off. But on that night, he took the mound on limited rest – his briefest ever – after requiring an IV to recuperate from the previous extra-inning game.

His fastball velocity sat below his regular-season norm and he labored more as the game progressed. Even so, he showed flashes of his usual control, retiring 11 of 12 after Guerrero Jr's blast and fanning six. He even drew a walk in the first inning to continue his World Series record. But the Toronto made him work: six base hits and four runs were charged to him in six-plus frames.

Late Game Surge

The larger problem for the Dodgers was what came next when Ohtani finally ran out of energy.

Daulton Varsho started the seventh inning with a clean hit to right, and Ernie Clement smashed 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 local fans. The Los Angeles' relief corps could not finish the inning.

Anthony Banda came into the mess and immediately trailed in the count. Giménez fought to a 3-2 count before scoring the runner with a base hit to left field. France came up next with a fielder's choice to make it 4-1, and that was enough to remove Banda out of the game. Treinen entered next but also was unable to stem the rally: Bo Bichette and Barger punched RBI base hits through the diamond, capping a four-score barrage that pushed the margin to 6-1.

Toronto's Resilience

The Blue Jays's ability to withstand early blows and respond has defined their entire run. They once again succeeded without George Springer, the injured leadoff hitter who left Game 3 after tweaking his oblique.

Bieber, in contrast, was everything Toronto needed. Acquired during the summer while completing rehab from elbow surgery, the former award-winning winner left several baserunners and silenced the Los Angeles' dangerous batting order. He allowed one earned run on four base hits and three walks before the manager called on first-year left-hander Fluharty to face the heart of the lineup in the sixth. Fluharty required just 4 throws to get out Max Muncy and Tommy Edman, protecting a fragile advantage that soon grew safe.

Converted starting pitcher Chris Bassitt then pitched a clean seventh and eighth innings as the Dodgers' bats kept to sputter. Los Angeles have scored only 3 runs over their last 20 frames, an sudden downturn for a team that ranked among MLB's elite offenses all year.

Final Innings

The Dodgers scraped a score in the ninth when Edman hit into an out to bring home Hernández after a walk and Muncy's two-base hit put runners aboard. But Varland finished the game without allowing a comeback to develop.

After a night when Toronto left a Fall Classic-record 19 baserunners and fell apart after repeated of wasted chances, Game 4 was ruthlessly efficient. 6 separate Toronto players collected base hits, 5 drove in runs and the squad cashed nearly every scoring opportunity available in the late innings.

Looking Ahead

The victory guarantees the World Series trophy will be presented at their home stadium, where the Blue Jays have not won a title since Joe Carter's famous game-winning home run in '93. They now know they are assured a full house in Canada on Friday night – and perhaps the next day – no matter what happens next in LA.

The fifth game looms with the matchup reset and energy swinging to Toronto. Los Angeles left-hander Blake Snell (3-1, 2.42 ERA) will try to arrest the Blue Jays's momentum. Toronto respond with rookie Yesavage (2-1, 4.26 ERA) in a repeat of Game 1, when the Toronto chased the starter early in an 11-4 win.