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Only 24 hours following staggering through one of the most draining defeats in World Series history, the Blue Jays displayed total control.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr smashed a two-run home run and Shane Bieber delivered a composed start as the Blue Jays beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 6-2 in Game 4 on Tuesday evening at their home ballpark, tying the Fall Classic at two wins apiece and ensuring the matchup will return to Toronto.

Toronto had passed the early hours of the next day dealing with their 18-inning Game 3 loss – equal to the lengthiest Fall Classic contest ever – a defeat that denied them the opportunity to take the lead in the series and depleted both bullpens. Manager John Schneider stated afterwards that “the Dodgers won a contest, not the World Series”. Twenty-three hours later, his team provided emphatic proof.

Early Action

The Dodgers again struck first. Max Muncy walked in the second, moved up on a single and scored on Kiké Hernández's fly out. But the early score did not rattle a Toronto team that led Major League Baseball with 49 come-from-behind victories this season.

They answered right away in the third. Lukes lined a one away base hit to center field and Guerrero stepped in hunting a curveball. Ohtani left a slider up and Guerrero sent it soaring over the left-center wall. It was his first long hit of the World Series and his seventh home run this playoffs – a new team record – restoring the Blue Jays's lead after 13 scoreless frames and shifting the tone of the night.

Ohtani's Performance

That swing also halted Ohtani's history-making run of 11 straight at-bats getting on base. The two-way star had hit two home runs and reached safely a historic nine times in the Dodgers' third game comeback win. But on that night, he started on limited rest – his briefest ever – after requiring an IV to recover from the prior marathon.

His fastball velocity was below his regular-season norm and he struggled more as the contest progressed. Even so, he displayed glimpses of his usual command, setting down 11 of 12 after Guerrero Jr's blast and fanning six. He even walked in the first inning to extend his Fall Classic streak. But the Toronto made him work: six hits and four runs were charged to him in over six frames.

Seventh Inning Rally

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

Daulton Varsho opened the seventh with a clean single to right, and Ernie Clement smashed a two-base hit off the fence to put runners on with no outs. Dave Roberts had no option but to pull Ohtani, who departed to a standing ovation from the local fans. The Los Angeles' relief corps could not complete the escape.

Anthony Banda came into the mess and immediately fell behind. Andrés Giménez battled to a full count before driving in the runner with a single to left field. Ty France followed with a groundout to make it 4-1, and that was sufficient to remove the pitcher out of the game. Blake Treinen came in next but also was unable to stop the momentum: Bichette and Barger hit RBI singles through the diamond, capping a four-run barrage that pushed the lead to 6-1.

Blue Jays's Resilience

The Blue Jays's capacity to absorb initial setbacks and respond has characterized their entire run. They once again succeeded without Springer, the hurt top-of-the-order man who left Game 3 after tweaking his right side.

Bieber, in contrast, was everything the Blue Jays needed. Acquired mid-season while finishing rehab from Tommy John surgery, the former Cy Young winner left several runners and quieted the Dodgers' dangerous batting order. He allowed one earned run on four base hits and three free passes before Schneider called on rookie left-hander Mason Fluharty to confront the heart of the lineup in the sixth. Fluharty required just 4 pitches to get out Max Muncy and Edman, protecting a narrow lead that soon grew comfortable.

Former starter Chris Bassitt then worked a scoreless seventh and eighth as the Los Angeles' offense kept to struggle. Los Angeles have produced only three scores over their previous 20 frames, an abrupt downturn for a team that was among baseball's top offenses all season.

Final Moments

The Los Angeles managed a run in the ninth when Tommy Edman hit into an out to bring home Teoscar Hernández after a base on balls and Muncy's two-base hit put runners on base. But Varland finished the game without allowing a comeback to build.

Following a game when Toronto left a World Series-record 19 baserunners and fell apart after repeated of missed chances, Game 4 was ruthlessly efficient. Six separate Toronto players recorded hits, 5 drove in scores and the squad converted nearly every run-scoring chance presented in the late stanzas.

Next Up

The victory guarantees the championship trophy will be presented at Rogers Centre, where the Toronto have not celebrated a championship since Carter's famous game-winning homer in '93. They now know they are guaranteed a packed house in Canada on Friday evening – and possibly the next day – no matter what happens next in Los Angeles.

Game 5 looms with the matchup even and energy swinging to Toronto. Dodgers pitcher Snell (3-1, 2.42 ERA) will attempt to arrest the Blue Jays's momentum. Toronto respond with first-year player Trey Yesavage (2-1, 4.26 ERA) in a repeat of the opener, when the Toronto knocked out the starter quickly in an decisive victory.