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

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

Toronto had spent the early hours of the next day processing their 18-inning Game 3 loss – equal to the lengthiest World Series game ever – a defeat that cost them the chance to lead the matchup and depleted both relief corps. Skipper John Schneider insisted afterwards that “they won a game, not the championship”. A day later, his team offered emphatic proof.

Early Innings

The Dodgers again scored first. Max Muncy drew a walk in the second, moved up on a base hit and crossed the plate on Kiké Hernández's fly out. But the early breakthrough did not shake a Blue Jays team that topped Major League Baseball with 49 come-from-behind victories this year.

They responded right away in the third inning. Nathan Lukes hit a one away base hit to center field and Guerrero came to the plate looking for a curveball. Shohei Ohtani threw a sweeper up and he sent it screaming over the outfield fence. It was his first extra-base hit of the World Series and his seventh home run this playoffs – a new team record – regaining the Toronto's advantage after 13 shutout innings and changing the momentum of the night.

Shohei's Performance

That hit also ended Ohtani's history-making run of 11 consecutive plate appearances reaching base. The dual-threat phenomenon had smashed two homers and got on base a historic nine times in the Los Angeles' third game comeback win. But on that night, he took the mound on short rest – his briefest ever – after needing an IV to recover from the prior extra-inning game.

His fastball velocity sat under his seasonal average and he struggled more as the contest wore on. Even so, he displayed flashes of his usual command, setting down 11 of 12 after Guerrero Jr's blast and striking out six. He even walked in the first to extend his Fall Classic record. But the Toronto forced him to labor: six hits and four earned runs were charged to him in over six frames.

Seventh Inning Rally

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

Daulton Varsho started the seventh with a sharp single to right field, and Clement drilled a two-base hit off the fence to put runners on with none out. Dave Roberts had little choice but to remove the starter, who exited to a roaring applause from the home crowd. The Dodgers' relief corps could not finish the escape.

Anthony Banda came into the jam and immediately trailed in the count. Giménez battled 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 knock the pitcher out of the contest. Treinen came in next but also failed to stem the momentum: Bichette and Addison Barger hit run-scoring singles through the infield, capping a four-run barrage that extended the margin to 6-1.

Toronto's Toughness

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

Shane Bieber, meanwhile, was exactly what Toronto needed. Acquired during the summer while completing rehab from elbow surgery, the ex- award-winning winner left multiple runners and quieted the Dodgers' dangerous batting order. He allowed one run on four base hits and three free passes before the manager summoned rookie pitcher Mason Fluharty to confront the heart of the order in the sixth. Fluharty needed just 4 pitches to retire Muncy and Edman, protecting a narrow lead that soon grew safe.

Converted starting pitcher Chris Bassitt then worked a scoreless seventh and eighth as the Dodgers' bats kept to struggle. Los Angeles have produced only three scores over their previous 20 innings, an sudden slowdown for a club that ranked among baseball's elite lineups all year.

Closing Innings

The Los Angeles managed a run in the ninth inning when Edman hit into an out to bring home Hernández after a base on balls and Muncy's double put runners aboard. But Varland finished the game without permitting a rally to build.

After a night when Toronto left a Fall Classic-record 19 baserunners and collapsed after repeated of wasted opportunities, the fourth contest was ruthlessly efficient. 6 separate Blue Jays collected base hits, 5 drove in scores and the squad cashed nearly every run-scoring opportunity presented in the late stanzas.

Next Up

The win guarantees the championship trophy will be presented at Rogers Centre, where the Blue Jays have not won a championship since Carter's famous game-winning homer in '93. They now know they are guaranteed a full crowd in Canada on Friday evening – and possibly Saturday – no matter what occurs next in Los Angeles.

Game 5 approaches with the matchup even and momentum swinging to Toronto. Los Angeles pitcher Snell (3-1, 2.42 ERA) will attempt to halt the Blue Jays's surge. The Blue Jays counter with rookie Yesavage (2-1, 4.26 ERA) in a rematch of the opener, when the Blue Jays knocked out the starter quickly in an 11-4 victory.