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Only 24 hours following enduring one of the most draining defeats in World Series annals, the Blue Jays played with total command.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr smashed a two-run home run and Bieber delivered a steady start as the Blue Jays defeated the Dodgers 6-2 in Game 4 on Tuesday night at Dodger Stadium, tying the World Series at two wins apiece and ensuring the series will head back to Canada.

The Blue Jays had passed the early hours of the next day processing their 18-inning Game 3 loss – tied for the lengthiest Fall Classic contest ever – a loss that cost them the chance to lead the series and burned through both relief corps. Manager Schneider stated afterwards that “the Dodgers won a contest, not the championship”. A day later, his team offered convincing evidence.

Early Action

The Los Angeles again scored first. Muncy drew a walk in the second inning, moved up on a base hit and scored on Hernández's fly out. But the initial breakthrough did not rattle a Toronto club that topped MLB with 49 come-from-behind wins this season.

They answered immediately in the third. Nathan Lukes lined a one away base hit to centre and Vladimir Guerrero Jr came to the plate looking for a curveball. Shohei Ohtani left a slider up and Guerrero sent it screaming over the outfield fence. It was his first long hit of the World Series and his seventh homer this postseason – a new club record – regaining the Blue Jays's lead after 13 scoreless frames and shifting the tone of the night.

Ohtani's Performance

That swing also halted Shohei Ohtani's record-setting run of 11 straight at-bats reaching base. The two-way star had smashed two homers 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 requiring an IV to recuperate from the previous marathon.

His fastball velocity was under his seasonal average and he struggled more as the game progressed. Nonetheless, he showed flashes of his usual command, retiring 11 of 12 after Guerrero Jr's homer and fanning six. He even walked in the first inning to continue his World Series record. But the Toronto made him work: six hits and four earned runs were credited to him in over six innings.

Late Game Rally

The larger issue for the Dodgers was what followed when he finally lost energy.

Daulton Varsho opened the seventh with a clean single to right field, and Ernie Clement smashed a two-base hit off the wall to put runners on with no outs. Roberts had no option but to remove Ohtani, who departed to a roaring applause from the local fans. The Los Angeles' bullpen could not finish the inning.

Banda came into the mess and right away fell behind. Giménez fought to a 3-2 count before scoring the runner with a single to left field. Ty France followed with a fielder's choice to make it 4-1, and that was enough to knock Banda out of the contest. Blake Treinen entered next but also failed to stem the momentum: Bichette and Barger punched RBI singles through the infield, capping a four-run barrage that extended the lead to 6-1.

Toronto's Resilience

The Toronto's ability to withstand initial setbacks and respond has defined their entire run. They once again did it without Springer, the injured leadoff hitter who exited the third game after straining his right side.

Shane Bieber, in contrast, was everything Toronto needed. Acquired during the summer while finishing recovery from elbow surgery, the ex- Cy Young winner left multiple runners and quieted the Los Angeles' potent lineup. He gave up one run on four hits and three walks before Schneider summoned first-year pitcher Fluharty to face the core of the order in the sixth inning. Fluharty needed just four pitches to retire Muncy and Edman, protecting a narrow advantage that soon became comfortable.

Converted starting pitcher Bassitt then worked a scoreless seventh and eighth innings as the Los Angeles' offense kept to struggle. The Dodgers have produced only 3 scores over their last 20 frames, an sudden slowdown for a team that was among MLB's elite offenses all year.

Closing Innings

The Los Angeles managed a run in the ninth inning when Tommy Edman hit into an out to bring home Teoscar Hernández after a base on balls and Muncy's double put runners aboard. But Varland closed it down without allowing a comeback to develop.

After a game when the Blue Jays stranded a Fall Classic-record 19 runners and fell apart after repeated of wasted chances, the fourth contest was ruthlessly effective. 6 separate Toronto players collected hits, 5 drove in runs and the team cashed almost every scoring chance available in the final innings.

Next Up

The win guarantees the World Series title will be presented at their home stadium, where the Toronto have not won a championship since Carter's famous walk-off homer in 1993. They now are aware they are assured a packed house in Toronto on Friday night – and perhaps Saturday – no matter what happens next in Los Angeles.

Game 5 approaches with the series reset and momentum swinging north. Dodgers pitcher Snell (3-1, 2.42 ERA) will try to halt the Toronto's momentum. Toronto respond with first-year player Yesavage (2-1, 4.26 ERA) in a repeat of the opener, when the Blue Jays knocked out Snell early in an 11-4 victory.