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Only 24 hours following staggering through one of the most draining losses in Fall Classic history, the Blue Jays played with complete command.

Guerrero crushed a two-run homer and Shane Bieber delivered a composed start as the Blue Jays defeated the 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 head back to Canada.

The Blue Jays had passed the early hours of the next day dealing with their 18-inning third game defeat – equal to the lengthiest World Series contest ever – a defeat that cost them the opportunity to lead the series and burned through both relief corps. Skipper Schneider stated afterwards that “they won a game, not the World Series”. Twenty-three hours later, his team provided emphatic evidence.

Initial Innings

The Dodgers again struck first. Max Muncy drew a walk in the second inning, moved up on a base hit and crossed the plate on Kiké Hernández's sacrifice fly. But the early score did not rattle a Blue Jays team that topped MLB with 49 comeback wins this season.

They responded immediately in the third. Lukes hit a one-out single to center field and Vladimir Guerrero Jr stepped in looking for a breaking ball. Shohei Ohtani left a slider up and he sent it screaming over the outfield fence. It was his initial extra-base hit of the World Series and his seventh homer this postseason – a fresh team mark – regaining the Toronto's lead after 13 scoreless frames and changing the momentum of the game.

Shohei's Night

That hit also ended Shohei Ohtani's record-setting streak of 11 straight plate appearances getting on base. The dual-threat star had hit two homers and got on base a historic nine times in the Dodgers' third game walk-off. But on Tuesday, he started on short rest – his briefest ever – after requiring an IV to recuperate from the previous marathon.

Ohtani pitch speed sat below his regular-season norm and he labored more as the contest progressed. Even so, he showed glimpses of his usual command, retiring 11 of 12 after Guerrero's homer and fanning six. He even drew a walk in the first to extend his World Series streak. But the Blue Jays forced him to labor: six hits and four runs were credited to him in over six frames.

Seventh Inning Rally

The bigger issue for Los Angeles was what came next when Ohtani eventually lost energy.

Varsho started the seventh with a clean hit to right, and Clement smashed a double off the fence to put runners on with none out. Dave Roberts had no option but to remove Ohtani, who departed to a standing ovation from the home crowd. The Los Angeles' bullpen could not finish the escape.

Banda inherited the mess and right away trailed in the count. Giménez battled to a 3-2 count before scoring the runner with a base hit to left field. Ty 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 entered next but also was unable to stop the momentum: Bo Bichette and Addison Barger punched run-scoring base hits through the diamond, capping a four-score outburst that pushed the lead to 6-1.

Blue Jays's Resilience

The Blue Jays's capacity to withstand initial blows and respond has characterized their entire postseason. They once again succeeded without Springer, the hurt top-of-the-order man who exited Game 3 after straining his right side.

Shane Bieber, meanwhile, was exactly what Toronto required. Acquired during the summer while finishing recovery from Tommy John surgery, the former award-winning winner stranded multiple runners and silenced the Dodgers' potent lineup. He allowed one run on four hits and three walks before the manager summoned first-year pitcher Mason Fluharty to confront the core of the lineup in the sixth inning. Fluharty needed just 4 throws to retire Max Muncy and Tommy Edman, preserving a narrow lead that soon grew safe.

Former starter Chris Bassitt then pitched a clean seventh and eighth as the Los Angeles' offense continued to sputter. The Dodgers have scored only 3 runs over their previous 20 innings, an sudden slowdown for a team that ranked among baseball's elite offenses all season.

Final Innings

The Los Angeles managed a score in the ninth when Tommy Edman hit into an out to bring home Teoscar Hernández after a walk and Max Muncy's double put two aboard. But Louis Varland closed it down without allowing a rally to develop.

After a night when the Blue Jays left a World Series-record 19 baserunners and fell apart after wave upon wave of missed opportunities, Game 4 was brutally effective. 6 separate Toronto players recorded hits, five brought home runs and the squad cashed nearly every run-scoring chance presented in the final stanzas.

Looking Ahead

The victory ensures the World Series title will be awarded at Rogers Centre, where the Blue Jays have not celebrated a title since Carter's famous walk-off home run in 1993. They now know they are guaranteed a full house in Canada on Friday night – and perhaps Saturday – no matter what happens next in LA.

Game 5 looms with the series even and energy shifting north. Los Angeles pitcher Snell (3-1, 2.42 ERA) will attempt to arrest the Toronto's momentum. Toronto counter with rookie Yesavage (2-1, 4.26 ERA) in a rematch of the opener, when the Blue Jays chased the starter quickly in an decisive win.