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Only 24 hours following enduring one of the most exhausting defeats in Fall Classic annals, the Toronto Blue Jays displayed total command.

Guerrero smashed a two-run homer and Bieber delivered a composed start as the Blue Jays beat the Dodgers 6-2 in Game 4 on Tuesday evening at their home ballpark, tying the Fall Classic at two games each and ensuring the series will head back to Toronto.

The Blue Jays had spent the morning of the next day processing their 18-inning Game 3 loss – equal to the longest Fall Classic contest ever – a defeat that denied them the chance to lead the matchup and depleted both relief corps. Skipper Schneider stated afterwards that “they won a game, not the championship”. Twenty-three hours later, his team provided emphatic evidence.

Initial Innings

The Dodgers again scored first. Max Muncy walked in the second inning, moved up on a single and crossed the plate on Hernández's sacrifice fly. But the early score did not rattle a Toronto team that led Major League Baseball with 49 comeback victories this season.

They responded right away in the third. Nathan Lukes lined a one-out base hit to center field and Guerrero stepped in looking for a curveball. Ohtani left a sweeper up and Guerrero sent it soaring over the outfield fence. It was his first extra-base hit of the World Series and his seventh homer this playoffs – a fresh team record – restoring the Blue Jays's advantage after 13 shutout innings and shifting the momentum of the night.

Ohtani's Night

That hit also ended Shohei Ohtani's record-setting run of 11 consecutive plate appearances reaching base. The dual-threat phenomenon had hit two home runs and got on base a record nine times in the Dodgers' third game walk-off. 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 pitch speed sat under his seasonal norm and he struggled more as the contest wore on. Nonetheless, he showed glimpses of his usual control, retiring 11 of 12 after Guerrero Jr's blast and striking out six. He even drew a walk in the first to continue his World Series streak. But the Toronto forced him to labor: six hits and four runs were credited to him in over six frames.

Late Game Rally

The larger issue for the Dodgers was what followed when Ohtani eventually lost energy.

Varsho opened the seventh inning with a sharp hit to right, and Ernie Clement smashed a double off the fence to put runners on with no outs. Dave Roberts had little choice but to remove the starter, who departed to a roaring applause from the local fans. The Los Angeles' relief corps could not complete the inning.

Banda came into the jam and immediately fell behind. Giménez fought to a 3-2 count before driving in the runner with a single to left. France came up next with a fielder's choice to make it 4-1, and that was sufficient to remove Banda out of the game. Blake Treinen came in next but also was unable to stop the momentum: Bo Bichette and Addison Barger punched RBI singles through the infield, capping a four-score outburst that extended the lead to 6-1.

Blue Jays's Resilience

The Blue Jays's capacity to withstand initial blows and respond has defined their whole run. They once again succeeded without George Springer, the injured top-of-the-order hitter who left Game 3 after straining his right side.

Shane Bieber, meanwhile, was everything Toronto required. Traded for mid-season while completing rehab from Tommy John surgery, the ex- Cy Young winner left multiple baserunners and quieted the Los Angeles' dangerous lineup. He allowed one run on four hits and three free passes before Schneider summoned rookie pitcher Fluharty to face the heart of the lineup in the sixth inning. Fluharty required just 4 pitches to retire Max Muncy and Tommy Edman, preserving a fragile advantage that soon became safe.

Former starter Bassitt then pitched a scoreless seventh and eighth innings as the Los Angeles' offense kept to struggle. Los Angeles have produced only 3 scores over their previous 20 frames, an abrupt downturn for a team that was among baseball's elite offenses all year.

Final Innings

The Dodgers managed a score in the ninth when Edman grounded out to bring home Hernández after a base on balls and Max Muncy's two-base hit put runners aboard. But Varland closed it down without allowing a rally to build.

Following a night when the Blue Jays left a Fall Classic-record 19 runners and fell apart after wave upon wave of missed chances, Game 4 was ruthlessly efficient. Six different Toronto players recorded hits, 5 brought home scores and the team converted nearly every scoring chance available in the late stanzas.

Next Up

The win guarantees the championship trophy will be awarded at Rogers Centre, where the Toronto have not won a title since Carter's famous walk-off homer in '93. They now know they are assured a full house in Canada on Friday evening – and perhaps the next day – no matter what happens next in LA.

The fifth game approaches with the matchup even and energy shifting north. Dodgers left-hander Snell (3-1, 2.42 ERA) will attempt to halt the Blue Jays's surge. Toronto respond with first-year player Trey Yesavage (2-1, 4.26 ERA) in a rematch of Game 1, when the Blue Jays knocked out Snell early in an 11-4 win.