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Only 24 hours following staggering through one of the most exhausting losses in World Series annals, the Blue Jays played with total command.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr smashed 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 evening at Dodger Stadium, squaring the Fall Classic at two games each and ensuring the series will head back to Toronto.

The Blue Jays had passed the early hours of Tuesday processing their marathon third game defeat – equal to the longest World Series contest ever – a loss that denied them the opportunity to take the lead in the series and burned through both bullpens. Skipper John Schneider stated afterwards that “the Dodgers took a game, not the championship”. Twenty-three hours later, his squad offered convincing evidence.

Initial Innings

The Dodgers again scored first. Muncy drew a walk in the second, moved up on a single and scored on Hernández's sacrifice fly. But the early breakthrough did not shake a Blue Jays team that topped MLB with 49 comeback wins this season.

They answered immediately in the third inning. Lukes hit a one-out single to center field and Vladimir Guerrero Jr stepped in hunting a breaking ball. Shohei Ohtani left a sweeper up and he sent it screaming over the outfield fence. It was his initial extra-base hit of the series and his 7th home run this postseason – a fresh team record – regaining the Blue Jays's lead after 13 scoreless frames and changing the tone of the night.

Shohei's Performance

That swing also ended Ohtani's history-making run of 11 consecutive plate appearances getting on base. The two-way phenomenon had hit two home runs and got on base a historic nine times in the Los Angeles' Game 3 walk-off. But on that night, he started on limited rest – his briefest ever – after requiring an IV to recover from the previous extra-inning game.

His pitch speed was under his regular-season average and he struggled more as the game progressed. Even so, he displayed glimpses of his usual command, setting down 11 of 12 after Guerrero's homer and fanning six. He even drew a walk in the first to extend his Fall Classic record. But the Blue Jays forced him to labor: six hits and four earned runs were credited to him in six-plus frames.

Seventh Inning Rally

The larger problem for the Dodgers was what followed when Ohtani eventually ran out of steam.

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

Banda came into the jam and right away fell behind. Giménez battled to a 3-2 count before driving in the runner with a single to left field. Ty France followed with a groundout to make it 4-1, and that was enough to remove Banda out of the game. Treinen entered next but also failed to stop the rally: Bichette and Addison Barger punched run-scoring singles through the diamond, capping a four-score barrage that extended the margin to 6-1.

Blue Jays's Toughness

The Toronto's ability to withstand early blows and respond has defined their entire run. They once again did it without Springer, the hurt leadoff man who left the third game after tweaking his right side.

Bieber, meanwhile, was everything Toronto needed. Acquired mid-season while finishing recovery from elbow surgery, the ex- award-winning winner left several baserunners and silenced 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 Mason Fluharty to face the heart of the order in the sixth. He required just 4 pitches to retire Max Muncy and Edman, preserving a narrow lead that soon became comfortable.

Former starting pitcher Chris Bassitt then pitched a clean seventh and eighth innings as the Los Angeles' offense kept to sputter. The Dodgers have scored only 3 scores over their previous 20 innings, an abrupt downturn for a team that was among baseball's top offenses all season.

Final Moments

The Los Angeles scraped a score in the ninth inning when Edman hit into an out to bring home Hernández after a walk and Muncy's double put two on base. But Varland finished the game without permitting a rally to develop.

After a game when Toronto left a Fall Classic-record 19 runners and fell apart after repeated of missed chances, Game 4 was brutally efficient. Six separate Toronto players recorded base hits, 5 brought home runs and the team converted nearly every run-scoring chance presented in the late stanzas.

Next Up

The win guarantees the championship trophy will be awarded at their home stadium, where the Blue Jays have not won a championship since Joe Carter's famous game-winning home run in 1993. They now are aware they are guaranteed a packed house in Toronto on Friday evening – and perhaps the next day – no matter what occurs next in LA.

Game 5 approaches with the series reset and energy shifting north. Los Angeles left-hander Snell (3-1, 2.42 ERA) will attempt to halt the Toronto's surge. The Blue Jays counter with first-year player Trey Yesavage (2-1, 4.26 ERA) in a repeat of Game 1, when the Toronto knocked out the starter quickly in an 11-4 victory.