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Only 24 hours after staggering through one of the most exhausting losses in Fall Classic history, the Toronto Blue Jays displayed total control.

Guerrero smashed a two-run home run and Bieber provided a composed start as Toronto beat the Dodgers 6-2 in Game 4 on Tuesday night at Dodger Stadium, tying the World Series at two games each and guaranteeing the matchup will return to Toronto.

The Blue Jays had spent the early hours of the next day dealing with their marathon Game 3 loss – equal to the longest World Series contest ever – a loss that denied them the chance to lead the matchup and depleted both bullpens. Manager Schneider stated later that “the Dodgers won a game, not the World Series”. Twenty-three hours later, his team provided convincing proof.

Initial Action

The Dodgers again scored first. Max Muncy drew a walk in the second, advanced on a base hit and scored on Hernández's sacrifice fly. But the early breakthrough did not rattle a Blue Jays team that led Major League Baseball with 49 come-from-behind victories this season.

They responded immediately in the third inning. Lukes lined a one away single to center field and Vladimir Guerrero Jr stepped in hunting a breaking ball. Shohei Ohtani left a slider up and he drove it screaming over the outfield fence. It was his first extra-base hit of the World Series and his seventh home run this postseason – a new team mark – restoring the Blue Jays's lead after 13 shutout frames and changing the momentum of the night.

Shohei's Performance

That swing also ended Shohei Ohtani's history-making run of 11 straight plate appearances reaching base. The two-way phenomenon had smashed two homers and reached safely a record nine times in the Dodgers' third game comeback win. But on Tuesday, he started on limited rest – his briefest ever – after requiring an IV to recover from the previous extra-inning game.

Ohtani pitch speed was below his seasonal norm and he labored more as the game progressed. Even so, he displayed glimpses of his usual control, retiring 11 of 12 after Guerrero's blast and fanning six. He even walked in the first to continue his Fall Classic streak. But the Blue Jays made him work: six base hits and four runs were charged to him in over six frames.

Seventh Inning Surge

The bigger problem for the Dodgers was what followed when Ohtani eventually lost steam.

Varsho started the seventh inning with a sharp single to right field, and Ernie Clement smashed a two-base hit off the fence to put two on with none out. Roberts had little choice but to pull Ohtani, who exited to a standing ovation from the local fans. The Los Angeles' relief corps could not complete the inning.

Anthony Banda came into the mess and immediately fell behind. Andrés Giménez fought to a 3-2 count before scoring Varsho with a base hit to left field. 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. Blake Treinen entered next but also was unable to stem the rally: Bichette and Barger hit run-scoring singles through the infield, completing a four-score barrage that pushed the lead to 6-1.

Toronto's Toughness

The Blue Jays's ability to withstand early blows and answer has defined their entire postseason. They once again succeeded without George Springer, the injured top-of-the-order hitter who exited the third game after straining his oblique.

Bieber, in contrast, was everything Toronto required. Acquired mid-season while completing rehab from elbow surgery, the former Cy Young winner left several runners and quieted the Los Angeles' dangerous lineup. He gave up one earned run on four hits and three free passes before the manager called on rookie pitcher Mason Fluharty to face the core of the order in the sixth. He required just 4 pitches to get out Max Muncy and Tommy Edman, preserving a narrow advantage that quickly grew safe.

Former starter Chris Bassitt then worked a clean seventh and eighth innings as the Los Angeles' offense kept to struggle. The Dodgers have produced only three scores over their last 20 innings, an abrupt slowdown for a club that was among baseball's elite offenses all year.

Final Innings

The Dodgers scraped a run in the ninth inning when Tommy Edman grounded out to bring home Hernández after a base on balls and Max Muncy's double put two on base. But Varland finished the game without permitting a rally to develop.

Following a game when Toronto left a Fall Classic-record 19 baserunners and fell apart after repeated of wasted chances, the fourth contest was ruthlessly effective. 6 separate Toronto players recorded base hits, 5 drove in scores and the squad cashed nearly every scoring chance presented in the late stanzas.

Looking Ahead

The victory guarantees the World Series trophy will be presented at their home stadium, where the Toronto have not won a championship since Carter's famous walk-off homer in 1993. They now are aware they are guaranteed a full house in Canada on Friday night – and possibly the next day – no matter what happens next in Los Angeles.

The fifth game approaches with the matchup even and energy shifting north. Los Angeles pitcher Snell (3-1, 2.42 ERA) will attempt to halt the Blue Jays's momentum. The Blue Jays counter with first-year player Yesavage (2-1, 4.26 ERA) in a repeat of the opener, when the Toronto chased Snell early in an 11-4 victory.