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Only 24 hours after enduring one of the most draining defeats in World Series history, the Toronto Blue Jays displayed total command.

Guerrero crushed a two-run home run and Bieber delivered a steady start as the Blue Jays defeated the Dodgers 6-2 in Game 4 on Tuesday evening at their home ballpark, tying the World Series at two wins apiece and ensuring the series will head back to Canada.

Toronto had spent the morning of the next day dealing with their 18-inning Game 3 loss – equal to the lengthiest World Series contest ever – a defeat that denied them the chance to take the lead in the matchup and depleted both relief corps. Skipper Schneider stated afterwards that “they took a contest, not the World Series”. A day later, his squad provided convincing proof.

Early Innings

The Los Angeles again struck first. Muncy walked in the second inning, moved up on a base hit and scored on Hernández's fly out. But the early breakthrough did not rattle a Blue Jays club that led MLB with 49 come-from-behind wins this season.

They responded immediately in the third. Nathan Lukes hit a one away single to center field and Vladimir Guerrero Jr stepped in looking for a breaking ball. Ohtani threw a slider up and Guerrero drove it soaring over the left-center wall. It was his first long hit of the series and his seventh homer this playoffs – a new team mark – restoring the Blue Jays's advantage after 13 shutout innings and shifting the momentum of the game.

Shohei's Night

That hit also halted Ohtani's history-making run of 11 straight at-bats reaching base. The two-way phenomenon had smashed two home runs and got on base a record nine times in the Los Angeles' third game walk-off. But on Tuesday, he took the mound on limited rest – his shortest ever – after needing an IV to recover from the previous marathon.

Ohtani pitch speed sat below his seasonal average and he labored more as the contest progressed. Even so, he displayed glimpses of his usual control, setting down 11 of 12 after Guerrero Jr's blast and striking out six. He even drew a walk in the first to extend his World Series record. But the Toronto forced him to labor: six hits and four runs were credited to him in six-plus innings.

Late Game Surge

The bigger issue for the Dodgers was what came next when he eventually ran out of steam.

Varsho started the seventh inning with a clean single to right, and Clement smashed a two-base hit off the fence to put two on with no outs. Dave Roberts had little choice but to pull the starter, who exited to a roaring applause from the home crowd. The Dodgers' bullpen could not finish the inning.

Banda came into the mess and right away trailed in the count. Andrés Giménez fought to a full count before driving in Varsho with a single to left. Ty France came up next with a fielder's choice to make it 4-1, and that was sufficient to knock Banda out of the game. Blake Treinen came in next but also failed to stop the momentum: Bichette and Addison Barger hit run-scoring base hits through the infield, capping a four-score barrage that pushed the lead to 6-1.

Blue Jays's Resilience

The Blue Jays's ability to absorb early setbacks and answer has defined their entire run. They once again succeeded without George Springer, the hurt top-of-the-order man who left the third game after straining his oblique.

Shane Bieber, in contrast, was exactly what Toronto required. Acquired during the summer while finishing recovery from Tommy John surgery, the ex- award-winning winner left several baserunners and silenced the Dodgers' potent batting order. He gave up one run on four hits and three walks before Schneider summoned first-year pitcher Fluharty to confront the heart of the order in the sixth. Fluharty needed just four throws to retire Muncy and Tommy Edman, protecting a fragile lead that quickly grew comfortable.

Former starter Bassitt then pitched a clean seventh and eighth innings as the Dodgers' offense kept to sputter. The Dodgers have scored only three scores over their previous 20 frames, an abrupt slowdown for a team that ranked among MLB's top lineups all year.

Closing Innings

The Dodgers managed a score in the ninth when Edman grounded out to score Hernández after a walk and Muncy's double put two aboard. But Varland finished the game without allowing a rally to build.

Following a game when the Blue Jays stranded a Fall Classic-record 19 baserunners and collapsed after repeated of missed opportunities, the fourth contest was ruthlessly efficient. 6 separate Toronto players recorded hits, five brought home scores and the squad converted almost every scoring chance available in the late innings.

Looking Ahead

The victory ensures the World Series title will be awarded at their home stadium, where the Toronto have not celebrated a championship since Carter's iconic walk-off homer in '93. They now are aware they are guaranteed a packed crowd in Canada on Friday night – and possibly Saturday – no matter what occurs next in LA.

The fifth game approaches with the series reset and energy swinging to Toronto. Dodgers left-hander Blake Snell (3-1, 2.42 ERA) will try to arrest the Toronto's momentum. Toronto respond with first-year player Yesavage (2-1, 4.26 ERA) in a rematch of Game 1, when the Toronto knocked out Snell quickly in an decisive victory.