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Only 24 hours following staggering through one of the most exhausting losses in Fall Classic annals, the Blue Jays played with complete command.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr smashed a two-run homer and Bieber delivered a composed start as the Blue Jays beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 6-2 in the fourth game on Tuesday evening at their home ballpark, tying the Fall Classic at two wins apiece and ensuring the matchup will return to Toronto.

Toronto had spent the early hours of Tuesday processing their 18-inning third game defeat – tied for the longest World Series contest ever – a loss that denied them the chance to lead the series and burned through both bullpens. Skipper John Schneider insisted later that “they won a game, not the World Series”. Twenty-three hours later, his team provided emphatic proof.

Early Innings

The Dodgers again scored first. Muncy drew a walk in the second inning, advanced on a single and scored on Kiké Hernández's fly out. But the early breakthrough did not shake a Blue Jays team that led MLB with 49 come-from-behind wins this year.

They responded right away in the third inning. Lukes lined a one away base hit to center field and Guerrero came to the plate looking for a curveball. Ohtani threw a sweeper up and he sent it soaring over the outfield fence. It was his initial extra-base hit of the World Series and his seventh home run this postseason – a fresh club mark – regaining the Toronto's lead after 13 scoreless frames and shifting the tone of the game.

Ohtani's Night

That swing also ended Ohtani's history-making streak of 11 consecutive plate appearances reaching base. The two-way phenomenon had hit two homers and reached safely a historic nine times in the Dodgers' Game 3 comeback win. But on Tuesday, he started on limited rest – his shortest ever – after needing an IV to recover from the previous extra-inning game.

Ohtani fastball velocity sat below his seasonal norm and he labored more as the game wore on. Even so, he displayed glimpses of his typical command, retiring 11 of 12 after Guerrero Jr's blast and striking out six. He even walked in the first to extend his World Series streak. But the Blue Jays forced him to labor: six base hits and four runs were credited to him in over six innings.

Seventh Inning Rally

The bigger problem for Los Angeles was what came next when Ohtani finally ran out of steam.

Varsho opened the seventh with a sharp single to right, and Ernie Clement smashed a two-base hit off the wall to put runners on with no outs. Roberts had little choice but to remove the starter, who exited to a standing ovation from the local fans. The Dodgers' bullpen could not complete the escape.

Anthony Banda inherited the mess and immediately fell behind. Giménez battled to a 3-2 count before driving in the runner with a base hit to left. Ty France came up next with a groundout to make it 4-1, and that was sufficient to knock the pitcher out of the contest. Treinen came in next but also failed to stem the momentum: Bo Bichette and Addison Barger punched run-scoring base hits through the diamond, capping a four-score barrage that pushed the lead to 6-1.

Blue Jays's Toughness

The Blue Jays's capacity to withstand initial blows and answer has defined their entire postseason. They once again succeeded without Springer, the hurt top-of-the-order man who left Game 3 after straining his right side.

Bieber, meanwhile, was exactly what the Blue Jays required. Acquired during the summer while finishing rehab from Tommy John surgery, the former Cy Young winner left several runners and quieted the Los Angeles' dangerous batting order. He allowed one run on four hits and three walks before Schneider summoned rookie pitcher Mason Fluharty to confront the core of the order in the sixth inning. He needed just four throws to retire Muncy and Edman, preserving a fragile lead that soon became safe.

Former starter Bassitt then worked a clean seventh and eighth as the Dodgers' offense kept to struggle. The Dodgers have scored only 3 scores over their last 20 innings, an abrupt slowdown for a team that ranked among MLB's elite offenses all year.

Closing Moments

The Dodgers scraped a score in the ninth when Edman grounded out to bring home Teoscar Hernández after a walk and Max Muncy's two-base hit put runners aboard. But Varland finished the game without allowing a comeback to develop.

After a game when the Blue Jays left a World Series-record 19 baserunners and collapsed after wave upon wave of wasted chances, Game 4 was ruthlessly effective. 6 separate Toronto players recorded base hits, five drove in scores and the team converted almost every run-scoring opportunity available in the final stanzas.

Looking Ahead

The victory ensures the championship trophy will be presented at Rogers Centre, where the Toronto have not celebrated a championship since Carter's famous game-winning home run in '93. They now are aware they are guaranteed a packed house in Canada on Friday night – and perhaps the next day – no matter what happens next in Los Angeles.

Game 5 looms with the series even and momentum swinging to Toronto. Dodgers left-hander Blake Snell (3-1, 2.42 ERA) will try to halt the Blue Jays's momentum. Toronto counter with first-year player Trey Yesavage (2-1, 4.26 ERA) in a repeat of Game 1, when the Blue Jays knocked out Snell quickly in an decisive victory.