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

Guerrero crushed a two-run homer and Bieber delivered a composed start as Toronto defeated the Los Angeles Dodgers 6-2 in Game 4 on Tuesday night at their home ballpark, tying the World Series at two games each and guaranteeing the matchup will head back to Canada.

Toronto had spent the morning of Tuesday dealing with their marathon Game 3 loss – tied for the longest Fall Classic contest ever – a loss that cost them the opportunity to lead the series and depleted both relief corps. Skipper Schneider insisted later that “the Dodgers won a contest, not the championship”. A day later, his team provided emphatic proof.

Initial Innings

The Dodgers again struck first. Max Muncy walked in the second, moved up on a base hit and crossed the plate on Hernández's sacrifice fly. But the initial breakthrough did not rattle a Blue Jays club that topped Major League Baseball with 49 come-from-behind wins this season.

They responded right away in the third inning. Nathan Lukes hit a one-out base hit to center field and Guerrero stepped in hunting a curveball. Shohei Ohtani threw a slider up and Guerrero sent it soaring over the outfield fence. It was his first extra-base hit of the series and his seventh home run this postseason – a new club record – restoring the Blue Jays's lead after 13 scoreless frames and shifting the tone of the night.

Ohtani's Night

That hit also ended Ohtani's record-setting run of 11 consecutive at-bats getting on base. The dual-threat phenomenon had hit two home runs and got on base a record nine times in the Los Angeles' Game 3 comeback win. But on that night, he took the mound on limited rest – his briefest ever – after needing an IV to recuperate from the previous extra-inning game.

Ohtani pitch speed sat under his seasonal norm and he struggled more as the game wore on. Nonetheless, he displayed glimpses of his usual control, setting down 11 of 12 after Guerrero Jr's homer and striking out six. He even walked in the first inning to continue his World Series record. But the Blue Jays forced him to labor: six base hits and four runs were charged to him in six-plus frames.

Late Game Surge

The bigger issue for the Dodgers was what followed when he finally ran out of steam.

Daulton Varsho opened the seventh with a clean single to right field, and Clement smashed a double off the fence to put runners on with no outs. Dave Roberts had no option but to remove Ohtani, who departed 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 trailed in the count. Giménez fought to a 3-2 count before driving in Varsho with a base hit to left. Ty France came up next with a groundout to make it 4-1, and that was enough to remove the pitcher out of the game. Blake Treinen entered next but also was unable to stem the momentum: Bichette and Addison Barger punched run-scoring singles through the diamond, capping a four-run barrage that pushed the lead to 6-1.

Blue Jays's Resilience

The Toronto's ability to absorb initial blows and respond has defined their entire run. They once again did it without George Springer, the injured leadoff man who exited the third game after tweaking his right side.

Shane Bieber, meanwhile, was everything Toronto required. Acquired mid-season while completing rehab from elbow surgery, the ex- award-winning winner stranded multiple runners and silenced the Los Angeles' dangerous batting order. He allowed one run on four hits and three free passes before the manager summoned rookie pitcher Fluharty to face the heart of the order in the sixth inning. Fluharty needed just 4 throws to get out Muncy and Edman, preserving a fragile lead that quickly became safe.

Former starting pitcher Chris Bassitt then worked a clean seventh and eighth innings as the Dodgers' offense continued to sputter. The Dodgers have produced only 3 runs over their last 20 frames, an sudden slowdown for a club that was among MLB's elite offenses all season.

Closing Moments

The Los Angeles managed a score in the ninth when Tommy Edman hit into an out to bring home Hernández after a base on balls and Max Muncy's double put runners aboard. But Louis Varland closed it down without permitting a rally to build.

Following a night when the Blue Jays left a Fall Classic-record 19 baserunners and collapsed after wave upon wave of wasted opportunities, the fourth contest was ruthlessly effective. 6 different Blue Jays recorded base hits, 5 drove in runs and the team converted nearly every scoring chance presented in the final innings.

Looking Ahead

The win ensures the championship trophy will be awarded at Rogers Centre, where the Blue Jays have not celebrated a championship since Carter's iconic walk-off home run in 1993. They now are aware they are assured a full house in Toronto on Friday night – and possibly the next day – no matter what occurs next in LA.

The fifth game looms with the series even and energy shifting to Toronto. Los Angeles left-hander Blake Snell (3-1, 2.42 ERA) will try to arrest the Blue Jays's surge. The Blue Jays counter with first-year player Trey Yesavage (2-1, 4.26 ERA) in a rematch of Game 1, when the Blue Jays knocked out Snell early in an decisive win.