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

Guerrero smashed a two-run home run and Shane Bieber delivered a composed 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 games each and guaranteeing the series will return to Canada.

The Blue Jays had spent the early hours of Tuesday dealing with their marathon third game defeat – tied for the longest World Series game ever – a defeat that denied them the chance to lead the matchup and depleted both relief corps. Skipper John Schneider insisted later that “the Dodgers took a game, not the championship”. Twenty-three hours later, his squad provided convincing evidence.

Early Action

The Dodgers again struck first. Max Muncy walked in the second, advanced on a single and scored on Hernández's sacrifice fly. But the initial score did not shake a Toronto club that led Major League Baseball with 49 comeback victories this year.

They answered immediately in the third inning. Nathan Lukes lined a one away base hit to center field and Guerrero stepped in hunting a breaking ball. Ohtani left a slider up and he drove it soaring over the left-center wall. It was his initial extra-base hit of the World Series and his seventh home run this playoffs – a new club mark – regaining the Blue Jays's advantage after 13 scoreless frames and shifting the tone of the night.

Shohei's Performance

That swing also halted Ohtani's record-setting streak of 11 straight at-bats getting on base. The dual-threat phenomenon had smashed two home runs and reached safely a record nine times in the Los Angeles' Game 3 comeback win. But on Tuesday, he took the mound on short rest – his briefest ever – after requiring an IV to recover from the previous extra-inning game.

His fastball velocity was below his regular-season average and he labored more as the game progressed. Even so, 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 World Series record. But the Blue Jays forced him to labor: six hits and four runs were credited to him in six-plus frames.

Late Game Surge

The larger problem for the Dodgers was what followed when Ohtani finally ran out of steam.

Varsho started the seventh with a clean hit to right, and Ernie Clement drilled a two-base hit off the fence to put runners on with none out. Roberts had little choice but to pull the starter, who departed to a standing ovation from the home crowd. The Los Angeles' bullpen could not complete the escape.

Banda came into the jam and immediately fell behind. Giménez battled to a full count before scoring the runner with a base hit to left. France followed with a groundout to make it 4-1, and that was enough to remove the pitcher out of the contest. Blake Treinen entered next but also failed to stem the momentum: Bichette and Addison Barger punched RBI base hits through the diamond, completing a four-score barrage that pushed the margin to 6-1.

Toronto's Toughness

The Toronto's ability to withstand initial blows and answer has defined their entire run. They once again succeeded without George Springer, the hurt top-of-the-order man who exited the third game after straining his oblique.

Bieber, in contrast, was everything Toronto needed. Traded for during the summer while completing recovery from Tommy John surgery, the ex- Cy Young winner stranded several runners and quieted the Los Angeles' dangerous batting order. He gave up one earned run on four base hits and three free passes before the manager called on rookie left-hander Mason Fluharty to face the heart of the lineup in the sixth inning. Fluharty required just four pitches to get out Max Muncy and Tommy Edman, protecting a fragile advantage that quickly grew comfortable.

Former starting pitcher Chris Bassitt then worked a clean seventh and eighth innings as the Dodgers' offense continued to sputter. The Dodgers have scored only 3 runs over their previous 20 innings, an abrupt downturn for a club that was among baseball's top lineups all season.

Closing Moments

The Los Angeles managed a score in the ninth inning when Tommy Edman grounded out to score Teoscar Hernández after a walk and Max Muncy's double put two aboard. But Varland closed it down without permitting a comeback to build.

After a game when the Blue Jays stranded a Fall Classic-record 19 baserunners and fell apart after repeated of missed chances, the fourth contest was ruthlessly effective. Six separate Blue Jays collected base hits, 5 drove in runs and the squad cashed almost every scoring chance available in the final innings.

Next Up

The victory guarantees the championship title will be awarded at their home stadium, where the Blue Jays have not won a championship since Joe Carter's iconic game-winning home run in 1993. They now are aware they are assured a packed house in Toronto on Friday evening – and possibly Saturday – no matter what occurs next in LA.

Game 5 looms with the series reset and momentum swinging north. Los Angeles left-hander Blake Snell (3-1, 2.42 ERA) will attempt to halt the Blue Jays's momentum. Toronto respond with first-year player Trey Yesavage (2-1, 4.26 ERA) in a rematch of the opener, when the Toronto knocked out Snell early in an decisive win.