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Only 24 hours after enduring one of the most exhausting defeats in World Series history, the Toronto Blue Jays played with complete command.

Guerrero smashed a two-run home run and Shane Bieber delivered a steady start as the Blue Jays beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 6-2 in the fourth game on Tuesday night at Dodger Stadium, squaring the Fall Classic at two wins apiece and guaranteeing the matchup will return to Canada.

The Blue Jays had spent the morning of Tuesday processing their marathon Game 3 loss – equal to the longest World Series game ever – a defeat that cost them the chance to lead the matchup and depleted both bullpens. Manager Schneider stated later that “the Dodgers won a contest, not the World Series”. Twenty-three hours later, his team provided emphatic proof.

Initial Action

The Dodgers again struck first. Muncy walked in the second inning, advanced on a single and crossed the plate on Kiké Hernández's sacrifice fly. But the initial breakthrough did not shake a Blue Jays club that led MLB with 49 come-from-behind wins this season.

They responded immediately in the third. Lukes hit a one away base hit to center field and Vladimir Guerrero Jr stepped in looking for a curveball. Shohei Ohtani threw a slider up and he sent it screaming over the left-center wall. It was his first long hit of the World Series and his 7th home run this postseason – a fresh team record – restoring the Toronto's advantage after 13 scoreless innings and changing the tone of the night.

Ohtani's Performance

That hit also halted Shohei Ohtani's record-setting streak of 11 consecutive plate appearances getting on base. The dual-threat star had smashed two homers and got on base a historic nine times in the Dodgers' Game 3 walk-off. But on Tuesday, he took the mound on short rest – his briefest ever – after requiring an IV to recover from the previous marathon.

Ohtani pitch speed was below his regular-season norm and he struggled more as the contest progressed. Nonetheless, he showed flashes of his usual command, setting down 11 of 12 after Guerrero's blast and fanning six. He even walked in the first inning to continue his Fall Classic streak. But the Toronto made him work: six hits and four earned runs were credited to him in over six frames.

Seventh Inning Rally

The larger issue for the Dodgers was what followed when Ohtani finally ran out of energy.

Daulton Varsho started the seventh inning with a clean single to right, and Clement drilled a two-base hit off the fence to put two on with no outs. Roberts had no option but to pull the starter, who departed to a standing ovation from the local fans. The Los Angeles' relief corps could not finish the escape.

Banda inherited the jam and immediately fell behind. Andrés Giménez fought to a full count before driving in Varsho with a single to left field. Ty France came up next with a fielder's choice to make it 4-1, and that was enough to remove the pitcher out of the contest. Blake Treinen came in next but also was unable to stop the momentum: Bo Bichette and Barger punched run-scoring base hits through the infield, completing a four-score barrage that pushed the margin to 6-1.

Blue Jays's Resilience

The Blue Jays's capacity to absorb early blows and answer has characterized their whole run. They once again succeeded without Springer, the hurt leadoff man who exited the third game after straining his oblique.

Bieber, in contrast, was exactly what Toronto needed. Acquired during the summer while completing rehab from Tommy John surgery, the ex- award-winning winner left several runners and silenced the Dodgers' dangerous batting order. He allowed one run on four base hits and three free passes before Schneider summoned first-year pitcher Mason Fluharty to confront the heart of the order in the sixth inning. Fluharty needed just 4 pitches to retire Muncy and Tommy Edman, protecting a narrow advantage that quickly became safe.

Converted starter Chris Bassitt then worked a clean seventh and eighth as the Los Angeles' offense continued to sputter. Los Angeles have produced only 3 scores over their previous 20 frames, an abrupt slowdown for a team that ranked among baseball's elite offenses all year.

Closing Moments

The Dodgers managed a score in the ninth inning when Tommy Edman hit into an out to score Teoscar Hernández after a walk and Muncy's double put runners on base. But Louis Varland finished the game without allowing a rally to develop.

Following a night when the Blue Jays stranded a Fall Classic-record 19 runners and fell apart after wave upon wave of missed chances, Game 4 was ruthlessly efficient. Six different Toronto players collected base hits, five brought home runs and the squad converted nearly every run-scoring opportunity presented in the final innings.

Next Up

The victory ensures the World Series title will be awarded at their home stadium, where the Toronto have not celebrated a title since Joe Carter's famous game-winning homer in 1993. They now know they are assured a packed house in Toronto on Friday night – and possibly Saturday – no matter what occurs next in LA.

The fifth game approaches with the series reset and energy shifting north. Dodgers 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 the opener, when the Toronto chased the starter quickly in an 11-4 victory.