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Less than a day following staggering through one of the most exhausting defeats in Fall Classic history, the Blue Jays played with complete command.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr smashed a two-run home run and Shane Bieber provided a composed outing as the Blue Jays defeated the Dodgers 6-2 in the fourth game on Tuesday night at Dodger Stadium, tying the World Series at two wins apiece and guaranteeing the series will return to Canada.

Toronto had spent the early hours of the next day dealing with their 18-inning third game defeat – tied for the longest World Series game ever – a defeat that denied them the opportunity to take the lead in the matchup and depleted both relief corps. Manager John Schneider insisted later that “the Dodgers won a game, not the World Series”. A day later, his squad offered emphatic proof.

Early Innings

The Dodgers again scored first. Max Muncy walked in the second inning, moved up on a base hit and scored on Kiké Hernández's sacrifice fly. But the initial score did not shake a Toronto team that topped MLB with 49 comeback victories this season.

They responded immediately in the third inning. Lukes lined a one away base hit to center field and Vladimir Guerrero Jr came to the plate looking for a curveball. Ohtani threw a sweeper up and he sent it soaring over the left-center wall. It was his first long hit of the World Series and his 7th homer this postseason – a new team record – regaining the Blue Jays's lead after 13 scoreless innings and changing the tone of the night.

Shohei's Night

That hit also ended Ohtani's history-making run of 11 consecutive plate appearances reaching base. The dual-threat phenomenon had smashed two home runs and got on base a record nine times in the Los Angeles' Game 3 walk-off. But on that night, he took the mound on short rest – his shortest ever – after needing an IV to recover from the prior marathon.

His fastball velocity was below his regular-season norm and he struggled more as the game wore on. Nonetheless, he displayed glimpses of his usual control, retiring 11 of 12 after Guerrero's homer and fanning six. He even walked in the first inning to continue his World Series streak. But the Toronto forced him to labor: six base hits and four runs were charged to him in over six innings.

Seventh Inning Surge

The bigger problem for Los Angeles was what followed when he finally ran out of energy.

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

Banda inherited the jam and immediately trailed in the count. Giménez fought to a full count before scoring the runner with a base hit to left field. France came up next with a groundout to make it 4-1, and that was enough to knock Banda out of the game. Blake Treinen entered next but also failed to stem the rally: Bo Bichette and Barger punched run-scoring singles through the infield, completing a four-score outburst that extended the lead to 6-1.

Toronto's Toughness

The Toronto's ability to absorb early blows and answer has defined their whole run. They once again did it without Springer, the hurt leadoff hitter who exited Game 3 after straining his oblique.

Bieber, meanwhile, was everything the Blue Jays needed. Acquired during the summer while completing recovery from elbow surgery, the former award-winning winner left multiple runners and silenced the Dodgers' dangerous batting order. He allowed one earned run on four base hits and three free passes before the manager summoned first-year pitcher Mason Fluharty to confront the heart of the lineup in the sixth. He required just four pitches to get out Muncy and Tommy Edman, preserving a narrow advantage that soon grew comfortable.

Converted starting pitcher Bassitt then worked a clean seventh and eighth as the Los Angeles' offense continued to sputter. Los Angeles have produced only 3 runs over their previous 20 innings, an abrupt slowdown for a club that was among MLB's elite offenses all year.

Closing 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 Muncy's double put two aboard. But Varland closed it down without permitting a rally to build.

After a game when the Blue Jays stranded a World Series-record 19 baserunners and collapsed after wave upon wave of missed opportunities, the fourth contest was brutally efficient. 6 separate Toronto players recorded hits, five drove in scores and the squad converted almost every scoring chance presented in the final stanzas.

Next Up

The victory guarantees the championship trophy will be awarded at Rogers Centre, where the Blue Jays have not celebrated a championship since Carter's iconic game-winning homer in 1993. They now know they are guaranteed a packed crowd in Toronto on Friday night – and perhaps the next day – no matter what occurs next in LA.

Game 5 approaches with the matchup reset and momentum swinging north. Los Angeles pitcher Blake Snell (3-1, 2.42 ERA) will attempt to halt the Toronto's surge. Toronto counter with first-year player Yesavage (2-1, 4.26 ERA) in a rematch of the opener, when the Blue Jays chased the starter early in an decisive win.