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Only 24 hours following enduring one of the most exhausting losses in Fall Classic annals, the Blue Jays played with total command.

Guerrero smashed a two-run homer and Bieber provided a steady start as Toronto defeated the Los Angeles Dodgers 6-2 in the fourth game on Tuesday night at their home ballpark, tying the Fall Classic at two wins apiece and ensuring the matchup will return to Toronto.

Toronto had spent the early hours of Tuesday dealing with their marathon Game 3 loss – equal to the lengthiest Fall Classic game ever – a loss that denied them the opportunity to take the lead in the series and depleted both relief corps. Skipper Schneider insisted afterwards that “they won a game, not the championship”. A day later, his team offered convincing proof.

Early Action

The Los Angeles again scored first. Max Muncy walked in the second, moved up on a single and crossed the plate on Kiké Hernández's fly out. But the initial breakthrough did not shake a Toronto club that topped Major League Baseball with 49 comeback wins this season.

They answered immediately in the third inning. Lukes hit a one-out single to centre and Guerrero came to the plate looking for a breaking ball. Ohtani left a sweeper up and Guerrero sent it screaming over the outfield fence. It was his initial extra-base hit of the series and his seventh homer this playoffs – a new team record – regaining the Toronto's advantage after 13 scoreless frames and shifting the momentum of the night.

Ohtani's Performance

That swing also ended Shohei Ohtani's history-making streak of 11 consecutive plate appearances getting on base. The dual-threat star had hit two homers and got on base a record nine times in the Los Angeles' Game 3 comeback win. But on that night, he started on short rest – his briefest ever – after requiring an IV to recuperate from the previous extra-inning game.

Ohtani fastball velocity was below his seasonal norm and he struggled more as the contest wore on. Nonetheless, he displayed flashes of his usual control, setting down 11 of 12 after Guerrero Jr's blast and striking out six. He even drew a walk in the first inning to extend his Fall Classic record. But the Blue Jays forced him to labor: six base hits and four earned runs were credited to him in six-plus innings.

Seventh Inning Rally

The larger problem for the Dodgers was what followed when he finally lost energy.

Varsho opened the seventh inning with a clean single to right field, and Clement smashed a double off the wall to put runners on with no outs. Dave Roberts had no option but to remove the starter, who exited to a roaring applause from the home crowd. The Los Angeles' relief corps could not finish the inning.

Banda inherited the jam and immediately fell behind. Andrés Giménez battled to a full count before driving in the runner with a base hit to left. Ty France followed with a fielder's choice to make it 4-1, and that was enough to knock the pitcher out of the game. Treinen entered next but also was unable to stop the momentum: Bo Bichette and Barger punched RBI base hits through the diamond, capping a four-score outburst that pushed the margin to 6-1.

Blue Jays's Resilience

The Toronto's ability to withstand initial blows and answer has defined their whole run. They once again succeeded without Springer, the injured leadoff hitter who exited the third game after tweaking his right side.

Shane Bieber, in contrast, was exactly what Toronto needed. Acquired during the summer while completing recovery from Tommy John surgery, the former Cy Young winner left several baserunners and quieted the Dodgers' potent batting order. He allowed one run on four base hits and three free passes before the manager called on first-year pitcher Mason Fluharty to confront the heart of the order in the sixth inning. He required just 4 throws to get out Max Muncy and Edman, preserving a narrow advantage that soon became comfortable.

Converted starting pitcher Chris Bassitt then pitched a clean seventh and eighth as the Los Angeles' offense continued to sputter. The Dodgers have produced only 3 runs over their last 20 innings, an abrupt downturn for a club that ranked among baseball's top offenses all season.

Final Moments

The Los Angeles scraped a run in the ninth inning when Tommy Edman hit into an out to bring home Teoscar Hernández after a base on balls and Max Muncy's two-base hit put two aboard. But Varland closed it down without permitting a rally to build.

Following a night when Toronto left a World Series-record 19 runners and collapsed after wave upon wave of missed chances, the fourth contest was ruthlessly effective. 6 separate Toronto players recorded base hits, 5 brought home scores and the team converted nearly every scoring chance available in the final innings.

Looking Ahead

The win ensures the World Series trophy will be presented at Rogers Centre, where the Toronto have not celebrated a championship since Joe Carter's famous game-winning homer in 1993. They now know they are guaranteed a full house in Canada on Friday evening – and possibly Saturday – no matter what occurs next in Los Angeles.

Game 5 looms with the matchup reset and energy shifting north. Los Angeles pitcher Blake Snell (3-1, 2.42 ERA) will try to arrest the Toronto's surge. The Blue Jays counter with first-year player Trey Yesavage (2-1, 4.26 ERA) in a repeat of Game 1, when the Toronto chased Snell quickly in an 11-4 win.