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Only 24 hours following enduring one of the most exhausting losses in World Series history, the Blue Jays played with total command.

Guerrero smashed a two-run home run and Shane Bieber delivered a composed start as Toronto beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 6-2 in the fourth game on Tuesday night at their home ballpark, squaring the World Series at two wins apiece and guaranteeing the matchup will head back to Canada.

The Blue Jays had passed the early hours of Tuesday dealing with their 18-inning Game 3 loss – equal to the longest World Series contest ever – a loss that denied them the opportunity to take the lead in the series and burned through both relief corps. Manager Schneider stated later that “the Dodgers took a contest, not the World Series”. A day later, his squad provided convincing evidence.

Initial Action

The Los Angeles again struck first. Max Muncy drew a walk in the second inning, advanced on a single and scored on Kiké Hernández's fly out. But the early breakthrough did not rattle a Toronto club that topped Major League Baseball with 49 comeback wins this season.

They responded right away in the third. Nathan Lukes lined a one away base hit to center field and Guerrero came to the plate hunting a curveball. Shohei Ohtani threw a slider up and he sent it screaming over the left-center wall. It was his initial long hit of the World Series and his seventh home run this playoffs – a new club record – regaining the Toronto's advantage after 13 shutout frames and changing the momentum of the night.

Ohtani's Performance

That swing also halted Shohei Ohtani's record-setting streak of 11 consecutive plate appearances getting on base. The two-way phenomenon had hit two home runs and got on base a historic nine times in the Dodgers' third game comeback win. But on Tuesday, he started on short rest – his briefest ever – after needing an IV to recover from the previous extra-inning game.

His fastball velocity sat under his seasonal average and he struggled more as the game wore on. Nonetheless, he showed flashes of his usual command, retiring 11 of 12 after Guerrero's blast and fanning six. He even walked in the first to continue his World Series record. But the Blue Jays forced him to labor: six hits and four earned runs were credited to him in over six innings.

Seventh Inning Rally

The larger problem for the Dodgers was what came next when Ohtani eventually lost energy.

Daulton Varsho opened the seventh with a sharp hit to right, and Ernie Clement smashed a two-base hit off the wall to put runners on with no outs. Roberts had little choice but to remove the starter, who exited to a roaring applause from the local fans. The Dodgers' bullpen could not finish the escape.

Anthony Banda inherited the mess and immediately fell behind. Giménez battled to a full count before scoring the runner with a single to left. France came up next with a groundout to make it 4-1, and that was sufficient to knock the pitcher out of the contest. Blake Treinen came in next but also was unable to stop the rally: Bichette and Addison Barger punched run-scoring singles through the infield, capping a four-run outburst that extended the margin to 6-1.

Toronto's Toughness

The Toronto's ability to absorb early blows and answer has defined their entire run. They once again did it without George Springer, the injured top-of-the-order hitter who left Game 3 after straining his right side.

Shane Bieber, in contrast, was exactly what Toronto required. Acquired during the summer while completing rehab from Tommy John surgery, the former award-winning winner left multiple runners and quieted the Dodgers' potent batting order. He gave up one earned run on four hits and three free passes before Schneider summoned first-year left-hander Fluharty to confront the core of the lineup in the sixth. Fluharty required just 4 pitches to retire Muncy and Tommy Edman, protecting a narrow lead that quickly became safe.

Converted starting pitcher Bassitt then pitched a clean seventh and eighth innings as the Dodgers' offense continued to sputter. The Dodgers have produced only three runs over their previous 20 frames, an abrupt downturn for a team that ranked among MLB's elite offenses all year.

Final Innings

The Los Angeles managed a score in the ninth inning when Tommy Edman grounded out to score Hernández after a base on balls and Muncy's two-base hit put two on base. But Louis Varland closed it down without allowing a comeback to develop.

After a game when the Blue Jays stranded a Fall Classic-record 19 baserunners and fell apart after repeated of wasted chances, the fourth contest was brutally efficient. Six separate Toronto players collected base hits, 5 brought home scores and the team cashed almost every scoring chance presented in the final innings.

Next Up

The victory ensures the World Series title will be presented at Rogers Centre, where the Blue Jays have not won a title since Joe Carter's famous walk-off homer in '93. They now are aware they are guaranteed a full crowd in Toronto on Friday evening – and perhaps the next day – no matter what happens next in Los Angeles.

Game 5 approaches with the series reset and energy swinging north. Dodgers left-hander Blake Snell (3-1, 2.42 ERA) will attempt to arrest the Toronto's surge. Toronto counter with first-year player Yesavage (2-1, 4.26 ERA) in a rematch of Game 1, when the Blue Jays knocked out Snell early in an 11-4 victory.