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Less than a day following enduring one of the most draining defeats in Fall Classic history, the Toronto Blue Jays played with complete control.

Guerrero smashed a two-run homer and Shane Bieber delivered a composed start as Toronto beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 6-2 in Game 4 on Tuesday evening at Dodger Stadium, squaring the World Series at two games each and guaranteeing the series will return to Toronto.

Toronto had passed the morning of Tuesday dealing with their 18-inning Game 3 loss – equal to the lengthiest World Series contest ever – a loss that denied them the chance to lead the series and depleted both bullpens. Skipper John Schneider insisted later that “they took a game, not the World Series”. Twenty-three hours later, his team offered convincing proof.

Initial Innings

The Los Angeles again scored first. Muncy walked in the second inning, advanced on a base hit and scored on Hernández's fly out. But the initial score did not shake a Toronto team that topped Major League Baseball with 49 comeback victories this season.

They answered immediately in the third inning. Lukes lined a one away base hit to center field and Vladimir Guerrero Jr came to the plate looking for a curveball. Ohtani threw a sweeper up and he drove it soaring over the left-center wall. It was his initial long hit of the series and his seventh home run this postseason – a fresh team mark – regaining the Blue Jays's advantage after 13 shutout frames and shifting the momentum of the game.

Shohei's Performance

That hit also ended Ohtani's record-setting run of 11 consecutive plate appearances reaching base. The two-way star had smashed two home runs and reached safely a record nine times in the Dodgers' third game walk-off. But on Tuesday, he started on short rest – his briefest ever – after requiring an IV to recuperate from the prior marathon.

Ohtani pitch speed was under his seasonal norm and he struggled more as the game wore on. Nonetheless, he showed flashes of his typical control, retiring 11 of 12 after Guerrero's homer and striking out six. He even drew a walk in the first inning to continue his Fall Classic streak. But the Blue Jays made him work: six base hits and four runs were charged to him in six-plus frames.

Seventh Inning Rally

The larger issue for the Dodgers was what came next when Ohtani finally ran out of energy.

Daulton Varsho started the seventh with a sharp single to right, and Clement smashed a double off the wall to put runners on with no outs. Roberts had no option but to remove Ohtani, who exited to a roaring applause from the local fans. The Los Angeles' bullpen could not complete the inning.

Banda inherited the jam and immediately trailed in the count. Giménez battled to a full count before scoring Varsho with a base hit to left. France came up next with a fielder's choice to make it 4-1, and that was enough to knock the pitcher out of the contest. Treinen came in next but also failed to stem the momentum: Bo Bichette and Barger punched RBI singles through the infield, completing a four-score outburst that pushed the lead to 6-1.

Blue Jays's Toughness

The Toronto's capacity to absorb early blows and respond has defined their whole postseason. They once again did it without George Springer, the injured top-of-the-order man who exited Game 3 after straining his oblique.

Shane Bieber, in contrast, was everything Toronto needed. Acquired during the summer while finishing recovery from Tommy John surgery, the ex- award-winning winner left several baserunners and quieted the Los Angeles' potent lineup. He allowed one earned run on four base hits and three walks before the manager called on first-year pitcher Fluharty to face the core of the lineup in the sixth inning. He required just four throws to retire Muncy and Edman, preserving a narrow lead that soon grew comfortable.

Former starter Bassitt then pitched a scoreless seventh and eighth innings as the Dodgers' bats kept to sputter. The Dodgers have produced only three scores over their previous 20 frames, an abrupt slowdown for a team that was among MLB's top offenses all season.

Closing Moments

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

Following a game when Toronto left a World Series-record 19 baserunners and fell apart after repeated of missed opportunities, Game 4 was ruthlessly efficient. 6 separate Blue Jays collected hits, five brought home scores and the squad converted nearly every scoring chance available in the late stanzas.

Next Up

The win guarantees the championship title will be presented at their home stadium, where the Toronto have not celebrated a championship since Joe Carter's iconic game-winning homer in '93. They now know they are assured a full house in Canada on Friday night – and possibly Saturday – no matter what happens next in Los Angeles.

Game 5 looms with the series even and energy swinging to Toronto. Los Angeles pitcher Blake Snell (3-1, 2.42 ERA) will attempt to arrest the Blue Jays's surge. The Blue Jays counter with rookie Trey Yesavage (2-1, 4.26 ERA) in a rematch of Game 1, when the Blue Jays knocked out the starter quickly in an decisive win.