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Only 24 hours following staggering through one of the most draining defeats in Fall Classic annals, the Blue Jays played with total command.

Guerrero smashed a two-run home run and Shane Bieber delivered a composed start as the Blue Jays beat the Dodgers 6-2 in the fourth game on Tuesday evening at Dodger Stadium, squaring the World Series at two wins apiece and guaranteeing the series will return to Canada.

The Blue Jays had passed the early hours of Tuesday processing their 18-inning third game defeat – equal to the lengthiest World Series game ever – a defeat that cost them the chance to lead the matchup and burned through both bullpens. Skipper John Schneider insisted afterwards that “the Dodgers took a game, not the World Series”. A day later, his squad offered emphatic evidence.

Early Action

The Los Angeles again scored first. Muncy walked in the second inning, advanced on a single and scored on Kiké Hernández's fly out. But the early score did not rattle a Blue Jays team that led Major League Baseball with 49 come-from-behind wins this year.

They answered right away in the third inning. Lukes lined a one-out base hit to centre and Guerrero stepped in looking for a breaking ball. Shohei Ohtani left a sweeper up and Guerrero drove it soaring over the left-center wall. It was his initial long hit of the World Series and his seventh home run this postseason – a new team mark – regaining the Blue Jays's lead after 13 shutout innings and changing the momentum of the night.

Ohtani's Night

That hit also ended Ohtani's history-making run of 11 straight plate appearances getting on base. The dual-threat star had smashed two homers and got on base a historic nine times in the Los Angeles' Game 3 comeback win. But on that night, he started on short rest – his shortest ever – after requiring an IV to recover from the prior extra-inning game.

His fastball velocity was below his seasonal norm and he labored more as the game progressed. Nonetheless, he displayed glimpses of his usual command, retiring 11 of 12 after Guerrero's blast and fanning six. He even walked in the first to extend his Fall Classic streak. But the Toronto made him work: six base hits and four runs were credited to him in six-plus frames.

Late Game Rally

The larger problem for the Dodgers was what came next when he eventually lost steam.

Varsho opened the seventh with a clean single to right field, and Ernie Clement smashed a double off the fence to put two on with none out. Dave Roberts had little choice but to remove Ohtani, who departed to a roaring applause from the local fans. The Dodgers' bullpen could not complete the inning.

Banda came into the mess and right away fell behind. Giménez fought 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 knock Banda out of the contest. Treinen came in next but also was unable to stem the momentum: Bichette and Barger hit RBI base hits through the infield, completing a four-score outburst that pushed the margin to 6-1.

Blue Jays's Toughness

The Toronto's ability to withstand initial setbacks and respond has defined their entire run. They once again succeeded without George Springer, the injured top-of-the-order hitter who exited Game 3 after straining his oblique.

Bieber, in contrast, was everything the Blue Jays required. Traded for during the summer while completing recovery from Tommy John surgery, the ex- award-winning winner left multiple runners and silenced the Dodgers' potent batting order. He gave up one earned run on four hits and three free passes before Schneider summoned first-year pitcher Mason Fluharty to face the core of the order in the sixth inning. He needed just four throws to retire Max Muncy and Tommy Edman, protecting a fragile advantage that soon became comfortable.

Converted starting pitcher Chris Bassitt then worked a clean seventh and eighth innings as the Los Angeles' offense continued to struggle. Los Angeles have produced only 3 runs over their last 20 innings, an sudden downturn for a team that ranked among MLB's top offenses all year.

Closing Innings

The Dodgers scraped a run in the ninth inning when Edman grounded out to bring home Hernández after a base on balls and Max Muncy's two-base hit put runners aboard. But Louis Varland closed it down without permitting a rally to develop.

Following a game when Toronto left a World Series-record 19 baserunners and fell apart after repeated of missed chances, Game 4 was brutally effective. 6 separate Blue Jays recorded base hits, 5 brought home scores and the squad cashed nearly every scoring chance presented in the final innings.

Next Up

The win ensures the World Series trophy will be awarded at their home stadium, where the Blue Jays have not celebrated a title since Carter's famous game-winning homer in 1993. They now are aware they are guaranteed a full crowd in Canada on Friday night – and perhaps the next day – no matter what occurs next in Los Angeles.

Game 5 approaches with the series reset and momentum swinging north. Los Angeles pitcher Blake Snell (3-1, 2.42 ERA) will attempt to arrest the Blue Jays's momentum. The Blue Jays respond with first-year player Yesavage (2-1, 4.26 ERA) in a repeat of Game 1, when the Blue Jays chased Snell quickly in an 11-4 victory.