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Less than a day after staggering through one of the most exhausting defeats in World Series history, the Blue Jays displayed total command.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr smashed a two-run home run and Shane Bieber provided a steady outing as the Blue Jays defeated the Los Angeles Dodgers 6-2 in the fourth game on Tuesday night at their home ballpark, tying the World Series at two wins apiece and ensuring the series will head back to Canada.

Toronto had spent the early hours of the next day processing their marathon third game defeat – equal to the lengthiest Fall Classic game ever – a loss that cost them the chance to lead the matchup and depleted both bullpens. Skipper John Schneider insisted afterwards that “they took a contest, not the World Series”. Twenty-three hours later, his team offered emphatic evidence.

Initial Action

The Los Angeles again struck first. Muncy drew a walk in the second inning, moved up on a base hit and crossed the plate on Kiké Hernández's sacrifice fly. But the initial breakthrough did not rattle a Blue Jays club that topped Major League Baseball with 49 comeback wins this season.

They answered right away in the third inning. Nathan Lukes hit a one away base hit to center field and Vladimir Guerrero Jr stepped in looking for a breaking ball. Ohtani left a slider up and Guerrero sent it soaring over the outfield fence. It was his first long hit of the World Series and his 7th homer this playoffs – a new team record – restoring the Blue Jays's lead after 13 scoreless frames and shifting the momentum of the night.

Ohtani's Night

That hit also ended Shohei Ohtani's history-making run of 11 straight plate appearances getting on base. The two-way star had smashed two home runs and reached safely a historic nine times in the Los Angeles' third game comeback win. But on that night, he started on limited rest – his briefest ever – after requiring an IV to recuperate from the prior marathon.

Ohtani pitch speed sat below his regular-season average and he labored more as the game wore on. Even so, he displayed flashes of his usual command, retiring 11 of 12 after Guerrero Jr's homer and striking out six. He even walked in the first inning to extend his World Series streak. But the Toronto forced him to labor: six hits and four earned runs were credited to him in six-plus frames.

Late Game Surge

The larger problem for the Dodgers was what followed when he finally lost steam.

Daulton Varsho started the seventh inning with a sharp single to right field, and Ernie Clement drilled a double off the wall to put runners on with none out. Dave Roberts had no option but to pull Ohtani, who departed to a standing ovation from the local fans. The Los Angeles' relief corps could not complete the escape.

Anthony Banda came into the mess and right away fell behind. Giménez fought to a full count before scoring the runner with a single to left field. Ty France followed with a groundout to make it 4-1, and that was enough to knock the pitcher out of the game. Treinen came in next but also was unable to stem the momentum: Bichette and Barger punched run-scoring base hits through the diamond, completing a four-score outburst that pushed the lead to 6-1.

Blue Jays's Toughness

The Blue Jays's ability to withstand early blows and answer has defined their whole run. They once again did it without Springer, the injured top-of-the-order hitter who left Game 3 after tweaking his oblique.

Bieber, in contrast, was everything Toronto required. Traded for during the summer while completing recovery from elbow surgery, the ex- Cy Young winner left several runners and silenced the Dodgers' dangerous batting order. He allowed one earned run on four hits and three walks before Schneider called on first-year pitcher Fluharty to face the core of the order in the sixth inning. He required just four pitches to get out Muncy and Tommy Edman, preserving a fragile lead that quickly grew comfortable.

Former starter Chris Bassitt then pitched a scoreless seventh and eighth innings as the Los Angeles' bats kept to sputter. The Dodgers have produced only 3 runs over their last 20 innings, an sudden downturn for a team that was among MLB's top lineups all season.

Closing Innings

The Los Angeles managed a run in the ninth inning when Edman grounded out to score Teoscar Hernández after a base on balls and Max Muncy's two-base hit put runners on base. But Louis Varland finished the game without permitting a rally to develop.

Following a night when Toronto left a World Series-record 19 runners and collapsed after repeated of missed chances, Game 4 was ruthlessly efficient. 6 different Blue Jays recorded base hits, five drove in scores and the squad converted almost every scoring chance presented in the final innings.

Looking Ahead

The victory ensures the championship trophy will be presented at their home stadium, where the Blue Jays have not celebrated a title since Joe Carter's iconic walk-off home run in '93. They now are aware they are assured a full house in Toronto on Friday night – and possibly the next day – no matter what occurs next in Los Angeles.

Game 5 looms with the series reset and momentum swinging north. Dodgers left-hander Snell (3-1, 2.42 ERA) will attempt to arrest the Blue Jays's momentum. Toronto counter with first-year player Yesavage (2-1, 4.26 ERA) in a repeat of the opener, when the Toronto knocked out the starter early in an 11-4 win.