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Less than a day following staggering through one of the most draining defeats in Fall Classic annals, the Blue Jays played with total control.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr smashed a two-run homer and Bieber provided a composed start as the Blue Jays defeated the Dodgers 6-2 in the fourth game on Tuesday night at Dodger Stadium, squaring the World Series at two games each and guaranteeing the series will return to Toronto.

The Blue Jays had passed the early hours of Tuesday dealing with their marathon third game defeat – tied for the lengthiest Fall Classic game ever – a loss that cost them the chance to lead the matchup and burned through both bullpens. Skipper Schneider insisted afterwards that “the Dodgers took a game, not the World Series”. Twenty-three hours later, his squad offered convincing proof.

Initial Innings

The Los Angeles again struck first. Muncy walked in the second inning, advanced on a single and scored on Kiké Hernández's fly out. But the initial score did not rattle a Toronto team that led Major League Baseball with 49 come-from-behind victories this season.

They responded immediately in the third. Lukes lined a one away single to center field and Vladimir Guerrero Jr stepped in looking for a breaking ball. Ohtani left a slider up and Guerrero drove it screaming over the outfield fence. It was his first extra-base hit of the series and his 7th homer this postseason – a new team mark – regaining the Toronto's lead after 13 scoreless frames and changing the momentum of the night.

Ohtani's Performance

That swing also ended Shohei Ohtani's record-setting streak of 11 consecutive at-bats reaching base. The dual-threat phenomenon had hit two homers and reached safely a record nine times in the Dodgers' Game 3 walk-off. But on Tuesday, he took the mound on limited rest – his briefest ever – after needing an IV to recuperate from the previous marathon.

Ohtani fastball velocity sat below his regular-season average and he labored more as the game progressed. Nonetheless, he displayed flashes of his usual command, retiring 11 of 12 after Guerrero Jr's blast and fanning six. He even walked in the first inning to extend his World Series record. But the Toronto forced him to labor: six hits and four earned runs were charged to him in six-plus frames.

Seventh Inning Surge

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

Daulton Varsho started the seventh inning with a clean single to right field, and Clement drilled a two-base hit off the wall to put runners on with none out. Dave Roberts had no option but to remove Ohtani, who exited to a roaring applause from the home crowd. The Dodgers' bullpen could not complete the inning.

Anthony Banda inherited the mess and immediately fell behind. Giménez battled to a full count before driving in the runner with a base hit to left field. France followed with a groundout to make it 4-1, and that was sufficient to remove Banda out of the contest. Blake Treinen came in next but also failed to stop the rally: Bo Bichette and Barger punched run-scoring base hits through the infield, capping a four-run barrage that pushed the lead to 6-1.

Blue Jays's Toughness

The Toronto's ability to withstand early blows and answer has characterized their entire run. They once again did it without Springer, the injured leadoff man who exited Game 3 after straining his oblique.

Shane Bieber, meanwhile, was everything the Blue Jays required. Acquired mid-season while finishing recovery from elbow surgery, the former Cy Young winner stranded multiple baserunners and quieted the Los Angeles' dangerous lineup. He allowed one run on four base hits and three free passes before Schneider called on rookie left-hander Fluharty to face the heart of the order in the sixth. He required just 4 pitches to get out Max Muncy and Tommy Edman, protecting a fragile lead that soon grew safe.

Converted starting pitcher Chris Bassitt then worked a clean seventh and eighth innings as the Los Angeles' offense continued to struggle. The Dodgers have produced only 3 runs over their last 20 innings, an abrupt downturn for a club that was among baseball's elite lineups all season.

Final Innings

The Los Angeles scraped a run in the ninth when Edman grounded out to score Hernández after a base on balls and Muncy's double put runners aboard. But Varland closed it down without permitting a rally to develop.

After a game when the Blue Jays stranded a World Series-record 19 baserunners and collapsed after wave upon wave of wasted chances, the fourth contest was brutally effective. Six separate Blue Jays collected hits, five drove in scores and the squad cashed nearly every scoring chance available in the final innings.

Looking Ahead

The victory ensures the World Series trophy will be presented at their home stadium, where the Toronto have not won a title since Joe Carter's famous walk-off home run in '93. They now know they are assured a packed crowd in Toronto on Friday night – and perhaps the next day – no matter what happens next in LA.

The fifth game approaches with the series even and momentum swinging to Toronto. Los Angeles left-hander Snell (3-1, 2.42 ERA) will try to halt the Toronto's momentum. Toronto respond with rookie Yesavage (2-1, 4.26 ERA) in a repeat of the opener, when the Toronto knocked out the starter quickly in an 11-4 victory.