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Only 24 hours after enduring one of the most exhausting defeats in World Series annals, the Toronto Blue Jays played with complete control.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr crushed a two-run home run and Shane Bieber provided a composed outing as Toronto 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 matchup will return to Canada.

The Blue Jays had passed the morning of Tuesday processing their marathon third game defeat – tied for the lengthiest World Series contest ever – a defeat that cost them the opportunity to take the lead in the matchup and depleted both relief corps. Skipper John Schneider stated afterwards that “they won a contest, not the championship”. A day later, his squad offered emphatic proof.

Early Action

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

They responded right away in the third. Lukes lined a one away single to center field and Guerrero came to the plate looking for a curveball. Ohtani threw a slider up and he drove it soaring over the outfield fence. It was his first extra-base hit of the World Series and his 7th home run this postseason – a new club record – regaining the Toronto's lead after 13 scoreless frames and changing the momentum of the night.

Shohei's Performance

That swing also ended Ohtani's record-setting streak of 11 consecutive at-bats reaching base. The dual-threat phenomenon had smashed two homers and got on base a historic nine times in the Dodgers' Game 3 comeback win. But on that night, he took the mound on limited rest – his briefest ever – after requiring an IV to recover from the previous extra-inning game.

Ohtani fastball velocity was below his seasonal average and he labored more as the game progressed. Nonetheless, he displayed flashes of his typical command, retiring 11 of 12 after Guerrero Jr's homer and fanning six. He even walked in the first inning to extend his Fall Classic record. But the Blue Jays made him work: six hits and four runs were charged to him in over six innings.

Seventh Inning Surge

The bigger problem for the Dodgers was what came next when Ohtani finally lost energy.

Daulton Varsho opened the seventh with a sharp single to right, and Clement smashed a double off the wall to put runners on with none out. Dave Roberts had little choice but to remove the starter, who departed to a roaring applause from the home crowd. The Los Angeles' bullpen could not complete the inning.

Anthony Banda inherited the jam and right away trailed in the count. Giménez battled to a full count before driving in the runner with a single to left field. 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: Bo Bichette and Barger punched RBI singles through the diamond, completing a four-score outburst that extended the lead to 6-1.

Blue Jays's Toughness

The Toronto's capacity to withstand initial blows and respond has defined their whole postseason. They once again succeeded without George Springer, the hurt leadoff hitter who exited the third game after tweaking his right side.

Bieber, in contrast, was everything the Blue Jays needed. Acquired mid-season while finishing recovery from elbow surgery, the ex- Cy Young winner stranded multiple runners and silenced the Dodgers' potent batting order. He gave up one earned run on four hits and three walks before the manager called on rookie left-hander Mason Fluharty to confront the heart of the lineup in the sixth. Fluharty needed just four throws to get out Max Muncy and Tommy Edman, protecting a narrow lead that quickly became comfortable.

Converted starting pitcher Bassitt then worked a scoreless seventh and eighth innings as the Dodgers' bats kept to struggle. The Dodgers have scored only 3 scores over their last 20 innings, an sudden slowdown for a team that was among baseball's top offenses all season.

Closing Moments

The Los Angeles scraped a run in the ninth inning when Tommy Edman grounded out to bring home Teoscar Hernández after a walk and Muncy's two-base hit put two aboard. But Varland closed it down without allowing a comeback to build.

After a night when Toronto left a Fall Classic-record 19 runners and fell apart after wave upon wave of missed opportunities, the fourth contest was brutally effective. Six different Blue Jays collected base hits, five brought home runs and the squad cashed almost every scoring opportunity presented in the final stanzas.

Looking Ahead

The win ensures the World Series title will be presented at their home stadium, where the Blue Jays have not celebrated a title since Joe Carter's famous game-winning home run in '93. They now are aware they are assured a packed house in Canada on Friday evening – and possibly the next day – no matter what occurs next in LA.

The fifth game approaches with the series reset and momentum swinging north. Dodgers pitcher Blake Snell (3-1, 2.42 ERA) will attempt to halt the Toronto's surge. The Blue Jays counter with rookie Yesavage (2-1, 4.26 ERA) in a rematch of Game 1, when the Toronto knocked out Snell quickly in an decisive victory.