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Less than a day following enduring one of the most exhausting losses in Fall Classic annals, the Blue Jays played with total command.

Guerrero smashed a two-run homer and Bieber delivered a steady outing as the Blue Jays defeated the Los Angeles Dodgers 6-2 in the fourth game on Tuesday evening at Dodger Stadium, tying the World Series at two games each and ensuring the series will head back to Toronto.

Toronto had passed the early hours of the next day dealing with their marathon Game 3 loss – tied for the longest World Series game ever – a loss that cost them the opportunity to lead the series and depleted both bullpens. Manager John Schneider stated later that “the Dodgers won a game, not the World Series”. A day later, his squad provided convincing proof.

Early Innings

The Dodgers again scored first. Muncy drew a walk in the second inning, moved up on a base hit and crossed the plate on Hernández's fly out. But the early score did not rattle a Toronto team that led Major League Baseball with 49 comeback wins this year.

They answered immediately in the third. Nathan Lukes lined a one-out single to center field and Guerrero came to the plate hunting a curveball. Ohtani threw a sweeper up and Guerrero sent it screaming over the left-center wall. It was his initial extra-base hit of the World Series and his 7th homer this playoffs – a fresh club record – restoring the Toronto's lead after 13 scoreless frames and shifting the momentum of the game.

Ohtani's Performance

That swing also ended Ohtani's history-making run of 11 straight at-bats reaching base. The two-way star had smashed two home runs and got on base a historic nine times in the Los Angeles' third game walk-off. But on Tuesday, he started on limited rest – his shortest ever – after needing an IV to recuperate from the prior extra-inning game.

Ohtani fastball velocity was below his seasonal average and he struggled more as the contest progressed. Nonetheless, he showed glimpses of his usual command, setting down 11 of 12 after Guerrero's homer and fanning six. He even walked in the first to continue his World Series record. But the Toronto made him work: six base hits and four earned runs were charged to him in over six frames.

Late Game Rally

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

Daulton Varsho opened the seventh with a sharp single to right, and Clement drilled a double off the wall to put runners on with none out. Dave Roberts had little choice but to remove Ohtani, who exited to a roaring applause from the home crowd. The Los Angeles' relief corps could not complete the escape.

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 field. Ty France followed with a fielder's choice to make it 4-1, and that was sufficient to knock Banda out of the contest. Blake Treinen came in next but also failed to stem the momentum: Bo Bichette and Addison Barger punched run-scoring singles through the infield, completing a four-run barrage that extended the margin to 6-1.

Blue Jays's Toughness

The Blue Jays's capacity to withstand initial setbacks and respond has characterized their whole postseason. They once again succeeded without George Springer, the hurt leadoff hitter who exited the third game after tweaking his right side.

Bieber, meanwhile, was exactly what the Blue Jays required. Traded for during the summer while completing recovery from Tommy John surgery, the ex- award-winning winner left multiple runners and quieted the Los Angeles' potent lineup. He allowed one earned run on four hits and three free passes before the manager called on first-year left-hander Fluharty to face the core of the order in the sixth. He required just four throws to get out Muncy and Edman, protecting a narrow advantage that soon grew comfortable.

Converted starting pitcher Chris Bassitt then pitched a scoreless seventh and eighth innings as the Los Angeles' bats continued to sputter. Los Angeles have scored only 3 runs over their previous 20 frames, an abrupt slowdown for a team that was among MLB's top offenses all season.

Closing Moments

The Dodgers managed a score in the ninth inning when Tommy Edman grounded out to score Teoscar Hernández after a base on balls and Muncy's two-base hit put runners aboard. But Louis Varland finished the game without allowing a rally to develop.

Following a game when Toronto stranded a Fall Classic-record 19 runners and collapsed after repeated of wasted opportunities, Game 4 was ruthlessly effective. 6 separate Toronto players recorded base hits, five drove in scores and the team cashed nearly every run-scoring opportunity presented in the final innings.

Looking Ahead

The victory guarantees the World Series trophy will be awarded at their home stadium, where the Blue Jays have not celebrated a title since Carter's iconic game-winning homer in '93. They now are aware they are assured a packed crowd in Toronto on Friday night – and perhaps the next day – no matter what happens next in LA.

The fifth game looms with the series even and energy swinging north. Dodgers pitcher Snell (3-1, 2.42 ERA) will try to arrest the Toronto's momentum. Toronto counter with first-year player Yesavage (2-1, 4.26 ERA) in a repeat of Game 1, when the Blue Jays chased Snell early in an decisive win.