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Only 24 hours after enduring one of the most draining defeats in World Series history, the Toronto Blue Jays displayed total control.

Guerrero crushed a two-run home run and Shane Bieber provided a composed outing as Toronto beat the Dodgers 6-2 in Game 4 on Tuesday night at Dodger Stadium, tying the World Series at two games each and guaranteeing the series will return to Toronto.

Toronto had spent the early hours of Tuesday dealing with their 18-inning third game defeat – equal to the lengthiest World Series contest ever – a loss that denied them the chance to lead the matchup and burned through both relief corps. Manager John Schneider insisted later that “they won a game, not the championship”. Twenty-three hours later, his team offered convincing evidence.

Initial Action

The Los Angeles again scored first. Muncy walked in the second inning, advanced on a single and crossed the plate on Kiké Hernández's sacrifice fly. But the initial score did not shake a Toronto club that topped MLB with 49 comeback victories this year.

They answered immediately in the third. Lukes lined a one away base hit to center field and Guerrero stepped in looking for a breaking ball. Ohtani left a slider up and Guerrero sent it soaring over the outfield fence. It was his first long hit of the series and his seventh homer this postseason – a fresh team mark – regaining the Toronto's advantage after 13 shutout innings and changing the momentum of the game.

Shohei's Night

That swing also halted Ohtani's history-making run of 11 consecutive plate appearances reaching base. The dual-threat phenomenon had hit two home runs and got on base a historic nine times in the Los Angeles' third game comeback win. But on that night, he started on short rest – his briefest ever – after requiring an IV to recover from the prior marathon.

His pitch speed was under his regular-season norm and he labored more as the game progressed. Nonetheless, he displayed glimpses of his usual control, setting down 11 of 12 after Guerrero's homer and striking out six. He even drew a walk in the first to continue his World Series streak. But the Toronto made him work: six hits and four earned runs were credited to him in six-plus frames.

Seventh Inning Surge

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

Daulton Varsho opened the seventh with a clean hit to right field, and Ernie Clement drilled a double off the fence to put two on with none out. Dave Roberts had little choice but to remove Ohtani, who exited to a standing ovation from the home crowd. The Dodgers' bullpen could not complete the inning.

Anthony Banda inherited the mess and right away trailed in the count. Giménez fought to a full count before scoring the runner with a base hit to left field. France came up next with a groundout to make it 4-1, and that was sufficient to knock the pitcher out of the game. Treinen entered next but also failed to stem the momentum: Bo Bichette and Barger punched run-scoring base hits through the infield, capping a four-run outburst that extended the lead to 6-1.

Blue Jays's Resilience

The Blue Jays's ability to absorb early blows and respond has characterized their entire run. They once again did it without Springer, the injured top-of-the-order man who exited Game 3 after tweaking his oblique.

Bieber, in contrast, was everything Toronto needed. Acquired mid-season while completing recovery from elbow surgery, the former award-winning winner stranded multiple runners and quieted the Los Angeles' dangerous lineup. He gave up one run on four base hits and three walks before Schneider called on rookie left-hander Fluharty to confront the core of the lineup in the sixth inning. Fluharty required just 4 pitches to retire Muncy and Tommy Edman, protecting a narrow lead that soon grew comfortable.

Converted starting pitcher Chris Bassitt then pitched a clean seventh and eighth as the Dodgers' offense continued to sputter. Los Angeles have produced only three runs over their previous 20 frames, an sudden slowdown for a team that was among baseball's top offenses all season.

Closing Innings

The Los Angeles managed a run in the ninth when Edman grounded out to bring home Teoscar Hernández after a walk and Muncy's two-base hit put two on base. But Louis Varland closed it down without permitting a rally to develop.

After a game when the Blue Jays stranded a Fall Classic-record 19 baserunners and collapsed after wave upon wave of wasted chances, Game 4 was ruthlessly efficient. Six separate Toronto players recorded hits, five drove in scores and the team cashed nearly every scoring opportunity presented in the final innings.

Looking Ahead

The win guarantees the championship trophy will be awarded at their home stadium, where the Blue Jays have not celebrated a title since Joe Carter's famous game-winning home run in 1993. They now are aware they are guaranteed a full house in Canada on Friday night – and perhaps the next day – no matter what occurs next in Los Angeles.

The fifth game approaches with the series reset and momentum shifting to Toronto. Dodgers left-hander Blake Snell (3-1, 2.42 ERA) will try to arrest the Toronto's surge. Toronto respond with first-year player Yesavage (2-1, 4.26 ERA) in a repeat of the opener, when the Blue Jays knocked out Snell early in an decisive win.