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Only 24 hours following enduring one of the most exhausting losses in Fall Classic history, the Toronto Blue Jays played with complete command.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr crushed a two-run homer and Shane Bieber delivered a steady start as Toronto beat the Dodgers 6-2 in the fourth game on Tuesday night at Dodger Stadium, squaring the Fall Classic 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 – equal to the longest World Series contest ever – a defeat that cost them the opportunity to take the lead in the series and depleted both bullpens. Manager Schneider stated afterwards that “the Dodgers took a contest, not the World Series”. A day later, his squad provided convincing proof.

Initial Innings

The Dodgers again struck first. Muncy walked in the second, moved up on a single and crossed the plate on Kiké Hernández's sacrifice fly. But the initial score did not rattle a Blue Jays team that topped Major League Baseball with 49 comeback victories this season.

They responded right away in the third. Nathan Lukes hit a one away base hit to center field and Vladimir Guerrero Jr stepped in hunting a breaking ball. Ohtani left a slider up and Guerrero sent it soaring over the outfield fence. It was his initial extra-base hit of the World Series and his seventh homer this postseason – a fresh club record – regaining the Toronto's lead after 13 shutout innings and shifting the momentum of the night.

Shohei's Performance

That hit also ended Shohei Ohtani's record-setting streak of 11 consecutive at-bats getting on base. The two-way star had hit two homers and got on base a historic nine times in the Dodgers' third game comeback win. But on Tuesday, he took the mound on short rest – his shortest ever – after needing an IV to recover from the prior extra-inning game.

Ohtani pitch speed sat under his regular-season average and he struggled more as the game progressed. Nonetheless, he showed flashes of his usual control, retiring 11 of 12 after Guerrero's blast and striking out six. He even walked in the first to extend his Fall Classic record. But the Toronto made him work: six hits and four earned runs were charged to him in over six frames.

Late Game Surge

The bigger problem 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 smashed a double off the fence to put two on with no outs. Roberts had no option but to remove the starter, who exited 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 followed with a fielder's choice to make it 4-1, and that was enough to knock the pitcher out of the contest. Treinen came in next but also failed to stem the rally: Bichette and Barger hit run-scoring base hits through the diamond, completing a four-score barrage that extended the margin to 6-1.

Toronto's Resilience

The Toronto's capacity to absorb initial blows and respond has characterized their whole postseason. They once again succeeded without George Springer, the injured top-of-the-order man who exited Game 3 after tweaking his right side.

Bieber, meanwhile, was everything Toronto needed. Acquired during the summer while finishing recovery from elbow surgery, the ex- award-winning winner stranded multiple baserunners and quieted the Dodgers' dangerous lineup. He gave up one run on four hits and three walks before the manager called on rookie pitcher Mason Fluharty to face the core of the order in the sixth. He required just 4 pitches to get out Muncy and Edman, protecting a narrow lead that quickly became safe.

Converted starting pitcher Chris Bassitt then worked a scoreless seventh and eighth innings as the Dodgers' bats continued to struggle. Los Angeles have produced only three scores over their last 20 innings, an sudden slowdown for a club that was among MLB's top offenses all year.

Final Innings

The Los Angeles managed a run in the ninth inning when Tommy Edman hit into an out to score Teoscar Hernández after a base on balls and Max Muncy's two-base hit put two aboard. But Varland closed it down without allowing a comeback to build.

Following a night when the Blue Jays stranded a Fall Classic-record 19 baserunners and fell apart after repeated of wasted chances, Game 4 was ruthlessly efficient. 6 separate Toronto players recorded base hits, five brought home scores and the team cashed nearly every run-scoring opportunity available in the late stanzas.

Next Up

The win guarantees the World Series title will be awarded at their home stadium, where the Toronto have not celebrated a championship since Joe Carter's famous game-winning homer in 1993. They now are aware they are guaranteed a packed crowd in Canada on Friday evening – and possibly Saturday – no matter what occurs next in Los Angeles.

The fifth game approaches with the series reset and momentum shifting north. Los Angeles left-hander Blake Snell (3-1, 2.42 ERA) will try to arrest the Toronto's momentum. The Blue Jays counter with first-year player Trey Yesavage (2-1, 4.26 ERA) in a repeat of Game 1, when the Toronto chased the starter early in an 11-4 win.