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Less than a day following enduring one of the most exhausting losses in Fall Classic history, the Toronto Blue Jays displayed total control.

Guerrero crushed a two-run homer and Bieber provided a composed start as Toronto defeated the Los Angeles Dodgers 6-2 in the fourth game on Tuesday night at Dodger Stadium, tying the World Series at two wins apiece and guaranteeing the series will head back to Toronto.

Toronto had passed the morning of Tuesday processing their marathon third game defeat – tied for the longest Fall Classic contest ever – a loss that cost them the opportunity to lead the matchup and depleted both bullpens. Manager Schneider insisted later that “they took a contest, not the championship”. A day later, his team provided convincing evidence.

Initial Action

The Los Angeles again struck first. Muncy drew a walk in the second inning, moved up on a base hit and crossed the plate on Hernández's fly out. But the early score did not shake a Toronto club that led MLB 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 looking for a breaking ball. Ohtani left a sweeper up and he sent it soaring over the outfield fence. It was his first long hit of the World Series and his 7th homer this playoffs – a new club mark – restoring the Toronto's lead after 13 scoreless frames and changing the tone of the game.

Ohtani's Night

That hit also ended Ohtani's history-making streak of 11 consecutive plate appearances getting on base. The two-way star had hit two homers and got on base a historic nine times in the Dodgers' third game comeback win. But on Tuesday, he started on limited rest – his briefest ever – after needing an IV to recover from the previous extra-inning game.

Ohtani pitch speed sat below his regular-season norm and he struggled more as the game progressed. Even so, he displayed flashes of his typical command, retiring 11 of 12 after Guerrero Jr's blast and striking out six. He even walked in the first to continue his World Series record. But the Blue Jays made him work: six hits and four earned runs were charged to him in six-plus frames.

Seventh Inning Surge

The bigger issue for the Dodgers was what came next when Ohtani finally lost steam.

Varsho opened the seventh inning with a sharp single to right, and Clement smashed a double off the wall to put runners on with no outs. Roberts had little choice but to remove Ohtani, who exited to a roaring applause from the local fans. The Dodgers' relief corps could not finish the inning.

Banda inherited the jam and right away fell behind. Giménez fought to a full count before driving in Varsho with a single to left field. Ty France came up next with a groundout to make it 4-1, and that was enough to knock Banda out of the contest. Treinen came in next but also failed to stop the momentum: Bo Bichette and Addison Barger punched RBI base hits through the infield, capping a four-run outburst that extended the margin to 6-1.

Toronto's Toughness

The Blue Jays's capacity to absorb early setbacks and answer has characterized their entire postseason. They once again succeeded without Springer, the hurt leadoff hitter who left Game 3 after straining his oblique.

Bieber, in contrast, was everything Toronto needed. Traded for mid-season while finishing recovery from Tommy John surgery, the ex- award-winning winner stranded multiple runners and quieted the Los Angeles' dangerous batting order. He gave up one earned run on four base hits and three free passes before Schneider called on rookie pitcher Fluharty to face the core of the order in the sixth. Fluharty required just four throws to get out Max Muncy and Tommy Edman, preserving a narrow advantage that quickly became safe.

Converted starter Bassitt then pitched a scoreless seventh and eighth innings as the Dodgers' bats continued to sputter. The Dodgers have scored only 3 scores over their previous 20 frames, an sudden slowdown for a team that ranked among MLB's top lineups all season.

Closing Innings

The Los Angeles managed a score in the ninth inning when Tommy Edman hit into an out to bring home Hernández after a walk and Max Muncy's two-base hit put runners aboard. But Louis Varland finished the game without allowing a rally to develop.

After a game when Toronto left a Fall Classic-record 19 runners and collapsed after wave upon wave of wasted opportunities, Game 4 was ruthlessly effective. 6 separate Toronto players recorded base hits, five drove in scores and the squad converted nearly every run-scoring chance presented in the late innings.

Looking Ahead

The win guarantees the championship trophy will be presented at their home stadium, where the Toronto have not won a championship since Joe Carter's iconic walk-off homer in 1993. They now know they are guaranteed a packed house in Canada on Friday evening – and perhaps Saturday – no matter what occurs next in LA.

Game 5 approaches with the series reset and energy shifting to Toronto. Dodgers left-hander Blake Snell (3-1, 2.42 ERA) will attempt to halt the Toronto's surge. Toronto counter with first-year player Trey Yesavage (2-1, 4.26 ERA) in a repeat of Game 1, when the Blue Jays chased Snell quickly in an decisive victory.