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Only 24 hours following enduring one of the most exhausting losses in Fall Classic annals, the Blue Jays displayed complete command.

Guerrero smashed a two-run home run and Bieber delivered a steady start as Toronto defeated the Los Angeles Dodgers 6-2 in the fourth game on Tuesday evening at Dodger Stadium, tying the Fall Classic at two wins apiece and guaranteeing the series will return to Canada.

Toronto had spent the early hours of Tuesday processing their marathon third game defeat – equal to the longest World Series contest ever – a loss that denied them the chance to take the lead in the series and burned through both bullpens. Skipper Schneider insisted afterwards that “the Dodgers took a game, not the championship”. Twenty-three hours later, his squad provided convincing evidence.

Early Innings

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

They answered immediately in the third. Lukes hit a one-out single to centre and Guerrero stepped in looking for a breaking ball. Shohei Ohtani left a slider up and Guerrero sent it screaming over the outfield fence. It was his initial extra-base hit of the World Series and his 7th home run this playoffs – a fresh club mark – restoring the Blue Jays's advantage after 13 shutout innings and shifting the momentum of the game.

Ohtani's Night

That hit also ended Shohei Ohtani's history-making streak of 11 consecutive plate appearances getting on base. The dual-threat phenomenon had hit two home runs and got on base a historic nine times in the Los Angeles' third game walk-off. But on that night, he took the mound on limited rest – his briefest ever – after needing an IV to recover from the previous extra-inning game.

Ohtani fastball velocity was under his regular-season average and he struggled more as the contest progressed. Even so, he showed flashes of his typical control, setting down 11 of 12 after Guerrero Jr's blast and fanning six. He even drew a walk in the first to continue his World Series record. But the Blue Jays forced him to labor: six hits and four runs were charged to him in over six frames.

Late Game Rally

The bigger issue for the Dodgers was what followed when Ohtani eventually lost steam.

Daulton Varsho opened the seventh inning with a sharp hit to right, and Clement drilled a two-base hit off the fence to put two on with no outs. Dave Roberts had little choice but to remove the starter, who exited to a standing ovation from the home crowd. The Los Angeles' relief corps could not finish the escape.

Banda inherited the jam and right away trailed in the count. Andrés Giménez fought to a full count before scoring Varsho with a base hit to left field. Ty France came up next with a fielder's choice to make it 4-1, and that was sufficient to remove the pitcher out of the contest. Blake Treinen entered next but also was unable to stop the momentum: Bichette and Addison Barger punched run-scoring base hits through the diamond, completing a four-run barrage that extended the margin to 6-1.

Toronto's Toughness

The Blue Jays's ability to withstand early blows and respond has defined their whole run. They once again succeeded without Springer, the hurt leadoff hitter who exited Game 3 after tweaking his right side.

Shane Bieber, in contrast, was exactly what Toronto needed. Traded for mid-season while completing recovery from elbow surgery, the former award-winning winner stranded several runners and silenced the Dodgers' potent batting order. He allowed one earned run on four hits and three free passes before the manager summoned first-year pitcher Fluharty to face the heart of the lineup in the sixth inning. Fluharty needed just 4 throws to retire Max Muncy and Tommy Edman, preserving a fragile lead that quickly became safe.

Former starter Chris Bassitt then pitched a clean seventh and eighth innings as the Los Angeles' bats continued to sputter. Los Angeles have produced only 3 runs over their previous 20 frames, an abrupt slowdown for a club that ranked among baseball's top lineups all year.

Final Moments

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

Following a night when Toronto stranded a World Series-record 19 runners and fell apart after wave upon wave of missed opportunities, Game 4 was ruthlessly efficient. 6 different Blue Jays collected hits, 5 drove in runs and the squad cashed almost every scoring opportunity presented in the final innings.

Next Up

The win guarantees the championship trophy will be awarded at their home stadium, where the Toronto have not celebrated a championship since Joe Carter's famous game-winning homer in '93. They now are aware they are guaranteed a full crowd in Toronto on Friday night – and possibly the next day – no matter what happens next in LA.

The fifth game looms with the matchup even and energy shifting north. Dodgers pitcher Snell (3-1, 2.42 ERA) will attempt to halt the Blue Jays's momentum. Toronto counter with rookie Yesavage (2-1, 4.26 ERA) in a rematch of Game 1, when the Blue Jays chased the starter early in an 11-4 victory.