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Less than a day following enduring one of the most draining losses in World Series annals, the Toronto Blue Jays displayed total command.

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

Toronto had passed the morning of the next day dealing with their marathon third game defeat – equal to the longest Fall Classic contest ever – a defeat that cost them the chance to take the lead in the series and depleted both relief corps. Manager John Schneider insisted afterwards that “they took a contest, not the World Series”. A day later, his squad offered emphatic proof.

Initial Innings

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

They answered immediately in the third inning. Nathan Lukes hit a one-out base hit to centre and Guerrero came to the plate hunting a breaking ball. Shohei Ohtani left a slider up and Guerrero drove it screaming over the outfield fence. It was his initial extra-base hit of the World Series and his 7th home run this postseason – a new team mark – restoring the Toronto's advantage after 13 scoreless frames and changing the tone of the night.

Ohtani's Night

That hit also halted Ohtani's history-making run of 11 straight plate appearances reaching base. The dual-threat phenomenon had smashed two home runs and got on base a historic nine times in the Los Angeles' Game 3 walk-off. But on that night, he started on short rest – his shortest ever – after needing an IV to recuperate from the previous extra-inning game.

His fastball velocity was below his seasonal average and he struggled more as the game progressed. Even so, he showed flashes of his typical command, setting down 11 of 12 after Guerrero's blast and striking out six. He even drew a walk in the first inning to extend his Fall Classic record. But the Toronto made him work: six base hits and four runs were credited to him in over six frames.

Seventh Inning Surge

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

Daulton Varsho started the seventh inning with a sharp single to right, and Clement smashed a two-base hit off the fence to put two on with no outs. Roberts had no option but to pull Ohtani, who departed to a standing ovation from the local fans. The Dodgers' bullpen could not finish the escape.

Anthony Banda inherited the jam and immediately trailed in the count. Giménez battled to a 3-2 count before driving in the runner with a base hit to left. France followed with a groundout to make it 4-1, and that was sufficient to remove the pitcher out of the game. Treinen came in next but also was unable to stop the rally: Bichette and Addison Barger punched run-scoring base hits through the infield, completing a four-run outburst that pushed the margin to 6-1.

Toronto's Toughness

The Blue Jays's ability to absorb initial setbacks and respond has characterized their entire run. They once again did it without Springer, the hurt top-of-the-order hitter who exited Game 3 after straining his right side.

Shane Bieber, in contrast, was everything the Blue Jays needed. Acquired during the summer while completing recovery from elbow surgery, the ex- Cy Young winner left several runners and quieted the Dodgers' dangerous batting order. He allowed one earned run on four hits and three free passes before the manager called on rookie pitcher Mason Fluharty to confront the heart of the order in the sixth inning. He needed just 4 throws to retire Max Muncy and Tommy Edman, protecting a narrow lead that quickly became comfortable.

Former starter Bassitt then pitched a clean seventh and eighth innings as the Los Angeles' offense continued to sputter. The Dodgers have scored only three scores over their last 20 innings, an sudden downturn for a team that ranked among baseball's elite lineups all season.

Closing Innings

The Los Angeles scraped a run in the ninth when Edman grounded out to score Hernández after a walk and Muncy's two-base hit put two on base. But Varland closed it down without permitting a comeback to build.

After a night when the Blue Jays stranded a World Series-record 19 baserunners and fell apart after wave upon wave of wasted opportunities, the fourth contest was brutally effective. 6 different Blue Jays collected base hits, five brought home runs and the team converted almost every scoring opportunity available in the final innings.

Looking Ahead

The victory ensures the championship title will be awarded at Rogers Centre, where the Toronto have not celebrated a championship since Carter's iconic game-winning homer in 1993. They now are aware they are assured a packed crowd in Canada on Friday evening – and possibly the next day – no matter what occurs next in LA.

Game 5 approaches with the series reset and energy swinging north. Los Angeles pitcher Snell (3-1, 2.42 ERA) will try to arrest the Toronto's surge. Toronto respond with rookie Yesavage (2-1, 4.26 ERA) in a rematch of the opener, when the Blue Jays chased the starter early in an 11-4 win.