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Only 24 hours after enduring one of the most draining defeats in World Series history, the Toronto Blue Jays displayed complete command.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr crushed a two-run home run and Shane Bieber provided a steady start as Toronto beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 6-2 in Game 4 on Tuesday evening at Dodger Stadium, squaring the Fall Classic at two games each and guaranteeing the matchup will head back to Toronto.

The Blue Jays had passed the early hours of Tuesday processing their marathon third game defeat – tied for the lengthiest Fall Classic game ever – a defeat that denied them the opportunity to lead the series and depleted both relief corps. Skipper Schneider insisted later that “they won a contest, not the World Series”. A day later, his team offered convincing evidence.

Initial Action

The Los Angeles again struck first. Muncy walked in the second inning, moved up on a base hit and scored on Kiké Hernández's fly out. But the initial breakthrough did not rattle a Blue Jays team that topped MLB with 49 come-from-behind wins this year.

They responded right away in the third inning. Lukes hit a one-out base hit to centre and Guerrero came to the plate looking for a curveball. Shohei Ohtani left a sweeper up and Guerrero sent it soaring over the outfield fence. It was his first extra-base hit of the series and his seventh home run this playoffs – a new club record – regaining the Toronto's lead after 13 shutout frames and changing the momentum of the night.

Ohtani's Performance

That swing also halted Ohtani's history-making run of 11 straight at-bats getting on base. The two-way star had smashed two home runs and got on base a record nine times in the Dodgers' Game 3 comeback win. But on that night, he took the mound on short rest – his shortest ever – after needing an IV to recuperate from the previous marathon.

His fastball velocity sat below his seasonal norm and he struggled more as the game wore on. Even so, he displayed flashes of his typical command, setting down 11 of 12 after Guerrero's homer and striking out six. He even drew a walk in the first to continue his World Series record. But the Blue Jays forced him to labor: six base hits and four runs were credited to him in six-plus frames.

Late Game Rally

The bigger issue for the Dodgers was what came next when Ohtani eventually ran out of energy.

Daulton Varsho opened the seventh inning with a sharp single to right, and Ernie Clement drilled a two-base hit off the fence to put two on with no outs. Dave Roberts had no option but to remove the starter, who exited to a standing ovation from the local fans. The Dodgers' bullpen could not finish the escape.

Anthony Banda came into the mess and immediately trailed in the count. Andrés Giménez fought to a full count before driving in Varsho with a single to left field. Ty France came up next with a fielder's choice to make it 4-1, and that was sufficient to knock the pitcher out of the game. Blake Treinen entered next but also was unable to stem the rally: Bo Bichette and Addison Barger hit RBI base hits through the diamond, completing a four-score outburst that pushed the lead to 6-1.

Toronto's Resilience

The Blue Jays's ability to withstand initial setbacks and respond has characterized their entire postseason. They once again did it without Springer, the hurt top-of-the-order hitter who left Game 3 after straining his right side.

Bieber, meanwhile, was everything Toronto needed. Acquired during the summer while finishing rehab from elbow surgery, the former Cy Young winner left multiple baserunners and quieted the Los Angeles' dangerous lineup. He gave up one earned run on four base hits and three walks before the manager called on rookie pitcher Mason Fluharty to face the heart of the order in the sixth inning. Fluharty needed just 4 throws to retire Muncy and Edman, preserving a narrow advantage that soon grew comfortable.

Former starting pitcher Chris Bassitt then pitched a clean seventh and eighth as the Los Angeles' offense continued to sputter. The Dodgers have scored only 3 scores over their previous 20 frames, an abrupt slowdown for a team that ranked among MLB's elite offenses all year.

Final Moments

The Los Angeles managed a run in the ninth inning when Tommy Edman hit into an out to score Teoscar Hernández after a base on balls and Max Muncy's double put runners aboard. But Varland finished the game without allowing a comeback to build.

Following a game when Toronto left a Fall Classic-record 19 runners and collapsed after repeated of missed opportunities, Game 4 was brutally efficient. Six different Toronto players collected hits, 5 drove in scores and the squad converted nearly every scoring opportunity available in the final stanzas.

Looking Ahead

The victory ensures the World Series trophy will be awarded at Rogers Centre, 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 guaranteed a packed crowd in Toronto on Friday night – and perhaps the next day – no matter what occurs next in Los Angeles.

Game 5 looms with the matchup reset and energy swinging to Toronto. Dodgers left-hander Blake Snell (3-1, 2.42 ERA) will attempt to arrest the Blue Jays's momentum. Toronto counter with rookie Yesavage (2-1, 4.26 ERA) in a repeat of the opener, when the Toronto chased Snell early in an decisive victory.