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Only 24 hours after staggering through one of the most exhausting defeats in World Series history, the Blue Jays played with complete control.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr crushed a two-run home run and Bieber delivered a composed start as the Blue Jays beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 6-2 in the fourth game on Tuesday evening at Dodger Stadium, squaring the Fall Classic at two games each and ensuring the series will head back to Toronto.

Toronto had passed the morning of the next day dealing with their marathon Game 3 loss – equal to the longest World Series contest ever – a loss that cost them the opportunity to take the lead in the series and depleted both relief corps. Manager John Schneider stated later that “they won a game, not the championship”. A day later, his team offered emphatic proof.

Initial Action

The Los Angeles again struck first. Max Muncy drew a walk in the second inning, advanced on a single and scored on Kiké Hernández's sacrifice fly. But the early score did not rattle a Blue Jays team that led Major League Baseball with 49 come-from-behind wins this season.

They answered immediately in the third inning. Nathan Lukes lined a one away single to centre and Vladimir Guerrero Jr stepped in looking for a curveball. Shohei Ohtani left a sweeper up and Guerrero drove it screaming over the outfield fence. It was his first extra-base hit of the World Series and his 7th home run this playoffs – a new team record – regaining the Blue Jays's lead after 13 scoreless innings and shifting the momentum of the game.

Ohtani's Night

That swing also halted Ohtani's history-making streak of 11 consecutive plate appearances getting on base. The dual-threat star had hit two home runs and reached safely a historic nine times in the Los Angeles' Game 3 walk-off. But on that night, he took the mound on limited rest – his briefest ever – after needing an IV to recover from the prior extra-inning game.

His fastball velocity sat under his seasonal norm and he labored more as the contest progressed. Even so, he showed glimpses of his usual control, retiring 11 of 12 after Guerrero's blast and striking out six. He even walked in the first to extend his Fall Classic record. But the Toronto made him work: six hits and four runs were charged to him in over six frames.

Late Game Rally

The bigger issue for Los Angeles was what followed when Ohtani eventually lost steam.

Daulton Varsho started the seventh with a clean single to right field, and Clement drilled a two-base hit off the fence to put runners on with none out. Dave Roberts had little choice but to remove the starter, who exited to a roaring applause from the home crowd. The Dodgers' relief corps could not complete the inning.

Anthony Banda came into the mess and immediately fell behind. Giménez fought to a full count before driving in the runner with a single to left. France came up next with a groundout to make it 4-1, and that was enough to remove the pitcher out of the contest. Blake Treinen entered next but also was unable to stem the rally: Bo Bichette and Barger punched run-scoring singles through the infield, capping a four-run barrage that extended the margin to 6-1.

Blue Jays's Toughness

The Toronto's capacity to absorb early setbacks and respond has defined their entire run. They once again did it without Springer, the injured leadoff hitter who left Game 3 after straining his oblique.

Shane Bieber, in contrast, was everything Toronto needed. Acquired during the summer while completing rehab from Tommy John surgery, the ex- Cy Young winner left multiple baserunners and quieted the Dodgers' potent batting order. He gave up one run on four base hits and three free passes before Schneider called on first-year pitcher Mason Fluharty to face the heart of the order in the sixth inning. Fluharty needed just 4 pitches to get out Muncy and Tommy Edman, preserving a narrow lead that soon grew safe.

Converted starting pitcher Chris Bassitt then pitched a clean seventh and eighth innings as the Los Angeles' bats continued to struggle. Los Angeles have produced only 3 runs over their previous 20 innings, an sudden slowdown for a team that ranked among baseball's elite lineups all season.

Final Innings

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

Following a night when the Blue Jays left a World Series-record 19 baserunners and fell apart after wave upon wave of missed chances, the fourth contest was brutally effective. Six separate Blue Jays collected hits, 5 drove in scores and the team converted nearly every scoring chance available in the late innings.

Looking Ahead

The win ensures the championship trophy will be awarded at Rogers Centre, where the Toronto have not celebrated a title since Carter's iconic walk-off homer in '93. They now are aware they are guaranteed a packed crowd in Canada on Friday night – and possibly Saturday – no matter what happens next in LA.

Game 5 looms with the matchup even and energy swinging north. Dodgers left-hander Blake Snell (3-1, 2.42 ERA) will attempt to halt the Blue Jays's momentum. The Blue Jays respond with rookie Trey Yesavage (2-1, 4.26 ERA) in a repeat of the opener, when the Toronto chased Snell early in an 11-4 win.