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Only 24 hours after enduring one of the most exhausting losses in Fall Classic history, the Toronto Blue Jays displayed complete control.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr smashed a two-run homer and Shane Bieber provided a steady start as the Blue Jays defeated the Los Angeles Dodgers 6-2 in Game 4 on Tuesday night at Dodger Stadium, tying the World Series at two wins apiece and guaranteeing the series will return to Toronto.

Toronto had passed the early hours of the next day dealing with their 18-inning Game 3 loss – tied for the longest Fall Classic contest ever – a loss that cost them the chance to lead the matchup and depleted both relief corps. Skipper John Schneider stated afterwards that “the Dodgers won a game, not the World Series”. A day later, his squad offered convincing proof.

Early Innings

The Los Angeles again struck first. Max Muncy drew a walk in the second, advanced on a single and crossed the plate on Hernández's fly out. But the early breakthrough did not shake a Toronto club that topped MLB with 49 come-from-behind wins this year.

They responded immediately in the third inning. Nathan Lukes hit a one-out base hit to center field and Guerrero stepped in hunting a curveball. Shohei Ohtani left a slider up and he drove it soaring over the left-center wall. It was his initial extra-base hit of the World Series and his seventh homer this postseason – a new team mark – regaining the Toronto's advantage after 13 scoreless frames and shifting the tone of the night.

Ohtani's Performance

That hit also ended Shohei Ohtani's record-setting streak of 11 straight at-bats getting on base. The dual-threat phenomenon had hit two home runs and got on base a record nine times in the Dodgers' third game walk-off. But on that night, he took the mound on short rest – his shortest ever – after requiring an IV to recover from the prior extra-inning game.

Ohtani pitch speed sat under his regular-season average and he struggled more as the game wore on. Nonetheless, he displayed flashes of his typical command, setting down 11 of 12 after Guerrero Jr's homer and striking out six. He even drew a walk in the first inning to continue 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 innings.

Late Game Rally

The larger issue for the Dodgers was what came next when he finally lost energy.

Varsho started the seventh inning with a sharp single to right, and Clement smashed a two-base hit off the wall to put two on with none out. Dave Roberts had no option but to remove the starter, who departed to a roaring applause from the local fans. The Los Angeles' relief corps could not finish the inning.

Anthony Banda inherited the mess and immediately fell behind. Andrés Giménez fought to a full count before scoring the runner with a base hit to left. Ty France followed with a groundout to make it 4-1, and that was sufficient to knock Banda out of the game. Blake Treinen entered next but also failed to stem the momentum: Bo Bichette and Addison Barger hit RBI base hits through the diamond, completing a four-run barrage that extended the margin to 6-1.

Toronto's Toughness

The Blue Jays's capacity to absorb initial blows and answer has characterized their entire run. They once again succeeded without George Springer, the injured top-of-the-order hitter who exited Game 3 after tweaking his oblique.

Bieber, meanwhile, was everything Toronto required. Acquired mid-season while completing recovery from Tommy John surgery, the ex- Cy Young winner left multiple runners and quieted the Dodgers' dangerous lineup. He allowed one earned run on four base hits and three walks before the manager summoned first-year left-hander Mason Fluharty to face the core of the lineup in the sixth. Fluharty needed just 4 throws to get out Muncy and Edman, preserving a fragile advantage that quickly grew comfortable.

Converted starter Chris Bassitt then worked a scoreless seventh and eighth as the Dodgers' bats continued to sputter. The Dodgers have scored only three runs over their last 20 frames, an abrupt slowdown for a club that was among baseball's top lineups all year.

Final Moments

The Dodgers managed a score in the ninth inning when Edman hit into an out to bring home Teoscar Hernández after a base on balls and Muncy's two-base hit put runners aboard. But Varland finished the game without permitting a rally to build.

Following a game when Toronto left a World Series-record 19 runners and fell apart after wave upon wave of missed opportunities, Game 4 was ruthlessly efficient. Six different Blue Jays recorded base hits, five brought home scores and the team converted almost every scoring opportunity presented in the late stanzas.

Looking Ahead

The victory ensures the World Series title will be awarded at Rogers Centre, where the Blue Jays have not celebrated a title since Carter's famous walk-off home run in '93. They now know they are guaranteed a full house in Canada on Friday night – and possibly the next day – no matter what occurs next in Los Angeles.

Game 5 looms with the matchup reset and energy shifting north. Los Angeles left-hander Blake Snell (3-1, 2.42 ERA) will attempt to arrest the Blue Jays's momentum. The Blue Jays respond with first-year player Trey Yesavage (2-1, 4.26 ERA) in a rematch of Game 1, when the Toronto knocked out the starter early in an 11-4 victory.