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Only 24 hours after enduring one of the most draining losses in Fall Classic annals, the Blue Jays played with total control.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr smashed a two-run home run and Bieber provided a steady outing as Toronto defeated the Dodgers 6-2 in the fourth game on Tuesday night at their home ballpark, squaring the World Series at two wins apiece and ensuring the series will return to Toronto.

The Blue Jays had passed the early hours of Tuesday dealing with their marathon Game 3 loss – equal to the lengthiest Fall Classic game ever – a defeat that denied them the chance to take the lead in the matchup and depleted both relief corps. Skipper Schneider stated later that “they won a contest, not the World Series”. Twenty-three hours later, his squad offered convincing evidence.

Initial Innings

The Dodgers again struck first. Muncy drew a walk in the second inning, advanced on a single and crossed the plate on Kiké Hernández's sacrifice fly. But the early score did not shake a Toronto club that topped MLB with 49 comeback wins this season.

They responded immediately in the third inning. Lukes lined a one away single to centre and Vladimir Guerrero Jr came to the plate looking for a breaking ball. Shohei Ohtani left a sweeper up and he sent it soaring over the left-center wall. It was his first long hit of the series and his 7th homer this postseason – a fresh team record – restoring the Blue Jays's advantage after 13 scoreless frames and shifting the tone of the game.

Ohtani's Night

That hit also halted Ohtani's history-making run of 11 consecutive at-bats reaching base. The dual-threat star had hit two homers and got on base a record nine times in the Dodgers' third game walk-off. But on Tuesday, he started on limited rest – his shortest ever – after needing an IV to recover from the prior extra-inning game.

His pitch speed sat below his seasonal average and he labored more as the contest progressed. Nonetheless, he displayed flashes of his usual command, retiring 11 of 12 after Guerrero's homer and fanning six. He even walked in the first to extend his World Series streak. But the Blue Jays made him work: six hits and four runs were credited to him in six-plus innings.

Late Game Rally

The larger problem for the Dodgers was what followed when he finally ran out of energy.

Daulton Varsho opened the seventh inning with a clean hit to right, and Ernie Clement drilled a double off the wall to put runners on with none out. Dave Roberts had little choice but to pull the starter, who departed to a standing ovation from the local fans. The Dodgers' relief corps could not finish the escape.

Anthony Banda came into the jam and right away fell behind. Giménez battled to a 3-2 count before scoring the runner with a single to left field. France came up next with a fielder's choice to make it 4-1, and that was sufficient to remove the pitcher out of the game. Blake Treinen came in next but also was unable to stem the rally: Bo Bichette and Addison Barger punched RBI base hits through the infield, capping a four-run barrage that extended the lead to 6-1.

Blue Jays's Resilience

The Toronto's ability to withstand early setbacks and respond has defined their entire run. They once again succeeded without George Springer, the injured leadoff man who left Game 3 after tweaking his right side.

Shane Bieber, in contrast, was exactly what the Blue Jays required. Acquired during the summer while completing rehab from elbow surgery, the ex- Cy Young winner stranded several runners and quieted the Dodgers' dangerous batting order. He gave up one earned run on four hits and three walks before the manager called on first-year pitcher Mason Fluharty to confront the heart of the lineup in the sixth inning. Fluharty required just 4 throws to retire Max Muncy and Tommy Edman, protecting a fragile lead that quickly became comfortable.

Former starter Bassitt then worked a clean seventh and eighth as the Dodgers' offense kept to sputter. The Dodgers have scored only 3 runs over their last 20 frames, an sudden downturn for a team that ranked among MLB's elite offenses all season.

Closing Moments

The Dodgers managed a score in the ninth when Tommy Edman grounded out to score Teoscar Hernández after a walk and Muncy's two-base hit put runners on base. But Varland closed it down without allowing a comeback to build.

Following a game when the Blue Jays stranded a World Series-record 19 runners and fell apart after repeated of missed chances, Game 4 was ruthlessly efficient. Six separate Blue Jays recorded hits, 5 drove in runs and the team converted almost every run-scoring chance presented in the late stanzas.

Next Up

The win guarantees the championship title will be presented at their home stadium, where the Toronto have not won a title since Joe Carter's famous walk-off homer in '93. They now are aware they are guaranteed a full house in Canada on Friday evening – and possibly Saturday – no matter what happens next in Los Angeles.

Game 5 looms with the series reset and momentum swinging north. Los Angeles left-hander Snell (3-1, 2.42 ERA) will try to halt the Toronto's surge. Toronto respond with first-year player Trey Yesavage (2-1, 4.26 ERA) in a repeat of the opener, when the Toronto knocked out Snell quickly in an 11-4 win.