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Only 24 hours after enduring one of the most exhausting losses in World Series annals, the Toronto Blue Jays displayed total control.

Guerrero smashed a two-run home run and Bieber provided a composed start as the Blue Jays beat the Dodgers 6-2 in the fourth game on Tuesday evening at Dodger Stadium, tying the Fall Classic at two games each and guaranteeing the series will return to Canada.

The Blue Jays had passed the morning of the next day dealing with their 18-inning third game defeat – tied for the lengthiest World Series game ever – a defeat that denied them the opportunity to take the lead in the series and burned through both bullpens. Manager Schneider insisted afterwards that “they won a game, not the championship”. A day later, his squad provided convincing evidence.

Early Action

The Dodgers again scored first. Muncy walked in the second inning, advanced on a base hit and crossed the plate on Kiké Hernández's sacrifice fly. But the initial breakthrough did not shake a Blue Jays team that topped Major League Baseball with 49 comeback wins this year.

They responded right away in the third inning. Nathan Lukes hit a one away single to centre and Guerrero came to the plate looking for a breaking ball. Ohtani threw a sweeper up and he drove it soaring over the outfield fence. It was his first extra-base hit of the World Series and his 7th home run this playoffs – a fresh team mark – regaining the Toronto's lead after 13 shutout frames and shifting the tone of the night.

Ohtani's Night

That swing also ended Ohtani's record-setting streak of 11 straight plate appearances getting on base. The dual-threat phenomenon had hit two homers and reached safely a record nine times in the Los Angeles' third game walk-off. But on Tuesday, he started on short rest – his briefest ever – after requiring an IV to recuperate from the prior marathon.

Ohtani pitch speed was below his regular-season norm and he struggled more as the contest wore on. Nonetheless, he displayed flashes of his usual command, setting down 11 of 12 after Guerrero's blast and striking out six. He even drew a walk in the first inning to continue his Fall Classic streak. But the Blue Jays forced him to labor: six base hits and four runs were charged to him in six-plus frames.

Late Game Surge

The larger issue for Los Angeles was what followed when he eventually ran out of steam.

Varsho started the seventh with a sharp single to right, and Ernie Clement drilled a two-base hit off the wall to put runners on with no outs. Dave Roberts had little choice but to pull Ohtani, who departed to a standing ovation from the local fans. The Los Angeles' relief corps could not complete the escape.

Anthony Banda inherited the jam and right away fell behind. Giménez fought to a 3-2 count before scoring the runner with a single to left. France came up next with a groundout to make it 4-1, and that was sufficient to knock the pitcher out of the game. Blake Treinen entered next but also was unable to stem the momentum: Bichette and Addison Barger punched run-scoring singles through the infield, completing a four-score barrage that extended the lead to 6-1.

Toronto's Resilience

The Blue Jays's ability to withstand initial setbacks and answer has characterized their whole run. They once again succeeded without George Springer, the hurt top-of-the-order man who left the third game after tweaking his right side.

Bieber, meanwhile, was exactly what the Blue Jays needed. Acquired mid-season while completing recovery from elbow surgery, the ex- Cy Young winner stranded multiple baserunners and quieted the Dodgers' dangerous lineup. He allowed one run on four base hits and three free passes before Schneider called on first-year left-hander Fluharty to face the core of the order in the sixth. He required just 4 pitches to get out Max Muncy and Tommy Edman, protecting a narrow lead that quickly became safe.

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

Closing Innings

The Dodgers managed a run in the ninth inning when Edman grounded out to score Teoscar Hernández after a walk and Max Muncy's double put two on base. But Louis Varland finished the game without permitting a rally to build.

Following a night when Toronto stranded a Fall Classic-record 19 baserunners and collapsed after repeated of wasted opportunities, Game 4 was brutally effective. Six different Blue Jays collected hits, 5 brought home runs and the squad cashed nearly every scoring opportunity available in the late innings.

Looking Ahead

The win guarantees the World Series trophy will be awarded at Rogers Centre, where the Toronto have not celebrated a title since 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 Saturday – no matter what happens next in LA.

The fifth game approaches with the series even and momentum swinging to Toronto. Los Angeles pitcher Snell (3-1, 2.42 ERA) will try to arrest the Blue Jays's momentum. The Blue Jays respond with rookie Trey Yesavage (2-1, 4.26 ERA) in a repeat of Game 1, when the Toronto chased Snell quickly in an decisive victory.