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Less than a day following enduring one of the most exhausting defeats in Fall Classic annals, the Toronto Blue Jays displayed complete command.

Guerrero smashed a two-run homer and Bieber provided a steady start as the Blue Jays beat the Dodgers 6-2 in Game 4 on Tuesday night at their home ballpark, squaring the Fall Classic at two games each and ensuring the series will return to Canada.

The Blue Jays had spent the morning of Tuesday dealing with their marathon third game defeat – equal to the lengthiest World Series game ever – a loss that cost them the opportunity to lead the series and burned through both relief corps. Skipper Schneider insisted afterwards that “the Dodgers took a game, not the World Series”. Twenty-three hours later, his squad offered convincing proof.

Early Action

The Los Angeles again scored first. Max Muncy walked in the second inning, advanced on a base hit and scored on Hernández's sacrifice fly. But the initial score did not shake a Toronto club that topped Major League Baseball with 49 come-from-behind wins this season.

They answered right away in the third. Nathan Lukes hit a one away base hit to center field and Guerrero came to the plate hunting a curveball. Shohei Ohtani threw a sweeper up and he sent it screaming over the outfield fence. It was his initial extra-base hit of the series and his seventh home run this playoffs – a new club record – restoring the Toronto's advantage after 13 scoreless frames and shifting the momentum of the game.

Ohtani's Night

That swing also halted Shohei Ohtani's history-making run of 11 consecutive plate appearances getting on base. The two-way phenomenon had smashed two homers and got on base a historic nine times in the Los Angeles' Game 3 comeback win. But on that night, he took the mound on limited rest – his briefest ever – after requiring an IV to recover from the previous extra-inning game.

Ohtani fastball velocity was below his seasonal norm and he struggled more as the game wore on. Even so, he displayed glimpses of his typical command, setting down 11 of 12 after Guerrero's homer and fanning six. He even drew a walk in the first inning to continue his Fall Classic record. But the Toronto made him work: six base hits and four runs were charged to him in six-plus innings.

Late Game Surge

The larger issue for the Dodgers was what followed when he finally lost steam.

Daulton Varsho started the seventh with a sharp hit to right field, and Clement smashed a double off the fence to put two on with none out. Dave Roberts had no option but to remove the starter, who exited to a roaring applause from the local fans. The Los Angeles' relief corps could not complete the inning.

Anthony Banda came into the mess and immediately fell behind. Andrés Giménez fought to a full count before driving in the runner with a base hit to left. France came up next with a groundout to make it 4-1, and that was sufficient to remove the pitcher out of the game. Blake Treinen came in next but also failed to stem the momentum: Bo Bichette and Addison Barger punched RBI singles through the diamond, completing a four-score barrage that extended the margin to 6-1.

Blue Jays's Resilience

The Blue Jays's ability to absorb initial setbacks and respond has defined their entire postseason. They once again did it without George Springer, the injured top-of-the-order man who left Game 3 after tweaking his right side.

Shane Bieber, meanwhile, was everything Toronto required. Acquired mid-season while completing recovery from Tommy John surgery, the ex- Cy Young winner stranded multiple runners and silenced the Los Angeles' dangerous lineup. He allowed one earned run on four hits and three free passes before the manager summoned first-year pitcher Fluharty to confront the core of the order in the sixth. He needed just four pitches to retire Max Muncy and Tommy Edman, protecting a narrow lead that quickly grew comfortable.

Former starter Chris Bassitt then pitched a scoreless seventh and eighth as the Dodgers' bats continued to sputter. Los Angeles have produced only three scores over their last 20 innings, an sudden downturn for a club that was among baseball's top offenses all year.

Closing Innings

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

After a night when the Blue Jays left a World Series-record 19 runners and fell apart after wave upon wave of missed opportunities, Game 4 was brutally efficient. 6 separate Blue Jays recorded base hits, five brought home runs and the team converted almost every run-scoring opportunity available in the late stanzas.

Looking Ahead

The win guarantees the World Series title will be awarded at their home stadium, where the Toronto have not celebrated a championship since Carter's famous walk-off homer in 1993. They now know they are assured a packed house in Canada on Friday evening – and perhaps Saturday – no matter what happens next in LA.

Game 5 approaches with the matchup reset and energy swinging north. Los Angeles pitcher Snell (3-1, 2.42 ERA) will try to halt the Blue Jays's surge. Toronto respond with first-year player Yesavage (2-1, 4.26 ERA) in a rematch of Game 1, when the Blue Jays chased the starter quickly in an decisive victory.