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Less than a day after enduring one of the most exhausting defeats in World Series history, the Blue Jays displayed complete command.

Guerrero crushed a two-run home run and Shane Bieber provided a steady outing as the Blue Jays defeated the Dodgers 6-2 in Game 4 on Tuesday evening at Dodger Stadium, squaring the World Series at two wins apiece and ensuring the series will head back to Canada.

The Blue Jays had spent the morning of Tuesday dealing with their marathon third game defeat – tied for the lengthiest Fall Classic contest ever – a defeat that denied them the chance to take the lead in the matchup and burned through both relief corps. Skipper John Schneider stated later that “the Dodgers won a contest, not the World Series”. A day later, his squad offered emphatic evidence.

Early Innings

The Los Angeles again scored first. Max Muncy drew a walk in the second inning, moved up on a single and crossed the plate on Kiké Hernández's sacrifice fly. But the initial score did not shake a Blue Jays team that topped Major League Baseball with 49 come-from-behind victories this year.

They responded immediately in the third inning. Lukes hit a one away base hit to center field and Guerrero stepped in hunting a curveball. Ohtani left a sweeper up and he drove it screaming over the left-center wall. It was his initial long hit of the series and his seventh homer this playoffs – a fresh club record – regaining the Blue Jays's lead after 13 shutout frames and shifting the momentum of the night.

Shohei's Night

That swing also ended Shohei Ohtani's history-making run of 11 consecutive at-bats reaching base. The dual-threat star had hit two home runs and got on base a record nine times in the Dodgers' Game 3 comeback win. But on Tuesday, he took the mound on limited rest – his shortest ever – after requiring an IV to recuperate from the previous extra-inning game.

Ohtani pitch speed sat under his regular-season norm and he labored more as the contest wore on. Even so, he showed flashes of his usual command, setting down 11 of 12 after Guerrero Jr's blast and striking out six. He even drew a walk in the first inning to extend his Fall Classic record. But the Toronto forced him to labor: six base hits and four runs were credited to him in six-plus innings.

Late Game Surge

The larger problem for Los Angeles was what came next when he finally ran out of steam.

Daulton Varsho opened the seventh inning with a clean hit to right, and Clement smashed a two-base hit off the fence to put runners on with none out. Dave Roberts had no option but to pull Ohtani, who departed to a roaring applause from the home crowd. The Dodgers' bullpen could not complete the escape.

Banda inherited the jam and right away trailed in the count. Giménez fought to a 3-2 count before scoring the runner with a single to left. France came up next with a fielder's choice to make it 4-1, and that was enough to knock Banda out of the contest. Blake Treinen came in next but also was unable to stop the momentum: Bo Bichette and Addison Barger hit RBI base hits through the infield, completing a four-score barrage that extended the margin to 6-1.

Toronto's Resilience

The Toronto's ability to absorb initial blows and respond has defined their whole postseason. They once again did it without George Springer, the hurt top-of-the-order hitter who left the third game after tweaking his right side.

Bieber, in contrast, was everything Toronto required. Acquired during the summer while completing rehab from elbow surgery, the ex- Cy Young winner stranded multiple runners and quieted the Los Angeles' dangerous batting order. He gave up one earned run on four base hits and three free passes before Schneider called on first-year pitcher Mason Fluharty to confront the core of the order in the sixth inning. He required just 4 throws to retire Max Muncy and Tommy Edman, protecting a fragile advantage that quickly grew comfortable.

Converted starting pitcher Chris Bassitt then worked a clean seventh and eighth innings as the Los Angeles' bats continued to struggle. Los Angeles have produced only three scores over their last 20 innings, an abrupt downturn for a club that was among MLB's elite offenses all season.

Final Innings

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

After a night when the Blue Jays stranded a World Series-record 19 baserunners and fell apart after wave upon wave of missed chances, Game 4 was ruthlessly efficient. 6 different Blue Jays recorded base hits, five drove in scores and the team converted nearly every run-scoring chance available in the final stanzas.

Looking Ahead

The victory guarantees the World Series title will be presented at their home stadium, where the Blue Jays have not celebrated a championship since Joe Carter's iconic walk-off home run in '93. They now are aware they are guaranteed a full house in Toronto on Friday evening – and perhaps the next day – no matter what happens next in Los Angeles.

The fifth game looms with the series even and momentum swinging north. Los Angeles pitcher Blake Snell (3-1, 2.42 ERA) will attempt to arrest the Toronto's momentum. Toronto counter with first-year player Trey Yesavage (2-1, 4.26 ERA) in a rematch of Game 1, when the Toronto chased the starter early in an 11-4 victory.