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Only 24 hours following staggering through one of the most draining losses in Fall Classic history, the Blue Jays played with total command.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr crushed a two-run home run and Bieber provided a composed outing as the Blue Jays beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 6-2 in the fourth game on Tuesday evening at Dodger Stadium, tying the World Series at two wins apiece and ensuring the matchup will return to Toronto.

Toronto had passed the morning of Tuesday processing 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 series and depleted both relief corps. Skipper John Schneider insisted later that “they took a game, not the World Series”. Twenty-three hours later, his squad provided emphatic proof.

Initial Action

The Los Angeles again scored first. Max Muncy drew a walk in the second inning, moved up on a base hit and crossed the plate on Hernández's fly out. But the initial score did not shake a Toronto club that topped Major League Baseball with 49 comeback wins this year.

They responded immediately in the third inning. Lukes hit a one-out single to center field and Guerrero stepped in hunting a curveball. Ohtani left a sweeper up and Guerrero 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 record – restoring the Toronto's lead after 13 scoreless frames and changing the momentum of the night.

Ohtani's Performance

That hit also ended Ohtani's history-making streak of 11 straight plate appearances reaching base. The dual-threat star had hit two homers and reached safely a record nine times in the Los Angeles' third game comeback win. But on that night, he took the mound on short rest – his briefest ever – after requiring an IV to recuperate from the previous marathon.

His fastball velocity was below his regular-season norm and he struggled more as the game progressed. Even so, he showed glimpses of his usual control, setting down 11 of 12 after Guerrero Jr's homer and fanning six. He even drew a walk in the first to extend his Fall Classic record. But the Blue Jays made him work: six base hits and four earned runs were charged to him in over six innings.

Late Game Surge

The bigger problem for Los Angeles was what followed when Ohtani finally lost energy.

Daulton Varsho started the seventh inning with a clean single to right field, and Clement drilled a double off the fence to put two on with no outs. Roberts had little choice but to remove the starter, who departed to a standing ovation from the home crowd. The Dodgers' bullpen could not finish the inning.

Banda inherited the mess and right away fell behind. Andrés Giménez battled to a full 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 knock the pitcher out of the game. Blake Treinen came in next but also was unable to stop the momentum: Bo Bichette and Addison Barger hit run-scoring singles through the diamond, capping a four-score outburst that extended the lead to 6-1.

Blue Jays's Resilience

The Blue Jays's ability to absorb initial blows and answer has characterized their entire postseason. They once again succeeded without George Springer, the hurt top-of-the-order man who exited the third game after tweaking his right side.

Bieber, meanwhile, was exactly what the Blue Jays needed. Acquired during the summer while finishing recovery from Tommy John surgery, the ex- award-winning winner stranded multiple runners and silenced the Los Angeles' dangerous batting order. He allowed one run on four base hits and three free passes before the manager called on rookie pitcher Mason Fluharty to confront the core of the lineup in the sixth inning. He needed just four throws to get out Max Muncy and Edman, protecting a fragile lead that soon became safe.

Former starter Chris Bassitt then worked a clean seventh and eighth innings as the Los Angeles' offense kept to struggle. The Dodgers have scored only 3 scores over their last 20 innings, an abrupt downturn for a team that was among MLB's elite lineups all season.

Final Innings

The Los Angeles managed a run in the ninth when Tommy Edman grounded out to score Teoscar Hernández after a base on balls and Muncy's two-base hit put two on base. But Louis Varland finished the game without allowing a rally to build.

Following a game when Toronto stranded a World Series-record 19 baserunners and collapsed after wave upon wave of wasted opportunities, Game 4 was brutally efficient. 6 separate Blue Jays recorded base hits, five brought home scores and the squad cashed nearly every run-scoring opportunity available in the final stanzas.

Looking Ahead

The win ensures the championship trophy will be awarded at their home stadium, where the Toronto have not celebrated a title since Joe Carter's famous game-winning home run in 1993. They now are aware they are guaranteed a packed crowd in Canada on Friday evening – and possibly the next day – no matter what occurs next in Los Angeles.

The fifth game approaches with the matchup reset and momentum shifting north. Dodgers pitcher Blake Snell (3-1, 2.42 ERA) will attempt to arrest the Toronto's surge. The Blue Jays respond with first-year player Trey Yesavage (2-1, 4.26 ERA) in a rematch of the opener, when the Toronto knocked out the starter early in an 11-4 win.