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Less than a day following staggering through one of the most draining losses in Fall Classic annals, the Toronto Blue Jays displayed complete command.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr smashed a two-run home run and Bieber delivered a composed start as Toronto defeated the Los Angeles Dodgers 6-2 in Game 4 on Tuesday night at their home ballpark, squaring the Fall Classic at two games each and ensuring the series will head back to Toronto.

The Blue Jays had spent the early hours of the next day dealing with their 18-inning third game defeat – equal to the longest World Series game ever – a defeat that denied them the chance to lead the series and depleted both relief corps. Manager John Schneider insisted afterwards that “they won a contest, not the World Series”. A day later, his team provided emphatic proof.

Initial Action

The Los Angeles again struck first. Max Muncy drew a walk in the second, advanced on a base hit and scored on Kiké Hernández's sacrifice fly. But the initial score did not shake a Toronto club that led MLB with 49 come-from-behind victories this season.

They answered right away in the third inning. Lukes lined a one away base hit to centre and Guerrero came to the plate hunting a curveball. Ohtani threw a sweeper up and he sent it soaring over the outfield fence. It was his first extra-base hit of the series and his 7th home run this playoffs – a fresh team mark – restoring the Blue Jays's advantage after 13 shutout innings and shifting the tone of the game.

Shohei's Performance

That hit also ended Shohei Ohtani's history-making run of 11 straight plate appearances getting on base. The two-way phenomenon had hit two home runs and reached safely a historic nine times in the Dodgers' Game 3 comeback win. But on Tuesday, he took the mound on limited rest – his shortest ever – after needing an IV to recuperate from the previous marathon.

Ohtani fastball velocity sat below his regular-season average and he struggled more as the contest progressed. Even so, he displayed flashes of his usual control, setting down 11 of 12 after Guerrero's blast and fanning six. He even walked in the first to continue his Fall Classic streak. But the Blue Jays forced him to labor: six base hits and four earned runs were credited to him in over six innings.

Late Game Surge

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

Daulton Varsho opened the seventh inning with a sharp hit to right, and Ernie Clement smashed a double off the wall to put runners on with no outs. Dave Roberts had little choice but to remove Ohtani, who departed to a roaring applause from the local fans. The Los Angeles' bullpen could not finish the escape.

Anthony Banda came into the jam and right away trailed in the count. Giménez fought to a full count before driving in the runner with a base hit to left. Ty France came up next with a groundout to make it 4-1, and that was enough to remove the pitcher out of the game. Blake Treinen came in next but also failed to stem the rally: Bo Bichette and Barger punched RBI singles through the diamond, completing a four-score barrage that pushed the margin to 6-1.

Blue Jays's Resilience

The Blue Jays's capacity to withstand initial blows and respond has defined their whole postseason. They once again did it without George Springer, the hurt leadoff hitter who left the third game after tweaking his oblique.

Shane Bieber, meanwhile, was exactly what the Blue Jays needed. Acquired mid-season while completing rehab from Tommy John surgery, the former award-winning winner stranded multiple runners and quieted the Dodgers' dangerous lineup. He allowed one run on four base hits and three free passes before the manager summoned rookie pitcher Mason Fluharty to confront the heart of the order in the sixth. He required just four pitches to retire Max Muncy and Edman, protecting a narrow advantage that soon became safe.

Former starter Chris Bassitt then worked a clean seventh and eighth innings as the Dodgers' bats continued to sputter. Los Angeles have produced only three runs over their last 20 frames, an sudden downturn for a team that was among MLB's elite lineups all year.

Final Moments

The Dodgers scraped a run in the ninth inning when Tommy Edman hit into an out to score Hernández after a base on balls and Muncy's double put runners aboard. But Louis Varland closed it down without permitting a rally to build.

Following a night when the Blue Jays left a Fall Classic-record 19 baserunners and fell apart after wave upon wave of wasted chances, Game 4 was brutally efficient. 6 different Blue Jays collected hits, 5 drove in runs and the team cashed nearly every run-scoring opportunity available in the late stanzas.

Looking Ahead

The win ensures the World Series trophy will be presented at Rogers Centre, where the Toronto have not won a championship since Joe Carter's iconic walk-off homer in 1993. They now are aware they are assured a packed house in Toronto on Friday evening – and possibly Saturday – no matter what happens next in Los Angeles.

Game 5 looms with the matchup reset and energy swinging north. Los Angeles pitcher Blake Snell (3-1, 2.42 ERA) will try to halt the Toronto's surge. Toronto respond with first-year player Yesavage (2-1, 4.26 ERA) in a repeat of the opener, when the Blue Jays chased the starter quickly in an 11-4 victory.