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Only 24 hours after staggering through one of the most exhausting losses in Fall Classic history, the Blue Jays displayed complete control.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr crushed a two-run homer and Bieber provided a steady outing as Toronto beat 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 Toronto.

The Blue Jays had spent the morning of Tuesday processing their marathon Game 3 loss – tied for the lengthiest World Series contest ever – a defeat that cost them the opportunity to lead the series and burned through both relief corps. Skipper Schneider stated afterwards that “the Dodgers won a contest, not the championship”. Twenty-three hours later, his squad provided convincing evidence.

Early Innings

The Dodgers again scored first. Muncy drew a walk in the second inning, moved up on a single and scored on Kiké Hernández's sacrifice fly. But the initial breakthrough did not shake a Toronto club that topped MLB with 49 comeback wins this year.

They responded right away in the third. Nathan Lukes hit a one-out single to centre and Vladimir Guerrero Jr stepped in hunting a curveball. Ohtani left a sweeper up and Guerrero drove it soaring over the outfield fence. It was his initial extra-base hit of the series and his seventh homer this postseason – a fresh club record – regaining the Toronto's advantage after 13 scoreless innings and changing the momentum of the night.

Ohtani's Night

That hit also ended Shohei Ohtani's history-making run of 11 consecutive plate appearances getting on base. The dual-threat phenomenon had smashed two homers and got on base a record nine times in the Los Angeles' third game comeback win. But on that night, he started on short rest – his shortest ever – after needing an IV to recover from the prior marathon.

Ohtani pitch speed sat under his seasonal norm and he struggled more as the game progressed. Even so, he showed flashes of his typical control, 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 made him work: six hits and four runs were charged to him in over six frames.

Late Game Rally

The larger problem for Los Angeles was what came next when he eventually lost steam.

Varsho started the seventh with a clean hit to right, and Ernie Clement smashed a double off the wall to put two on with none out. Roberts had no option but to pull the starter, who departed to a roaring applause from the home crowd. The Dodgers' bullpen could not finish the inning.

Banda inherited the jam and right away fell behind. Giménez battled to a full count before driving in Varsho with a base hit to left. Ty France followed with a fielder's choice to make it 4-1, and that was enough to remove Banda out of the game. Treinen came in next but also failed to stem the rally: Bo Bichette and Barger hit RBI singles through the diamond, completing a four-run barrage that extended the lead to 6-1.

Toronto's Toughness

The Blue Jays's ability to absorb initial setbacks and respond has defined their entire run. They once again succeeded without George Springer, the hurt top-of-the-order hitter who exited Game 3 after straining his oblique.

Shane Bieber, in contrast, was everything Toronto needed. Traded for during the summer while completing rehab from Tommy John surgery, the former Cy Young winner stranded multiple baserunners and silenced the Dodgers' dangerous batting order. He allowed one earned run on four base hits and three free passes before Schneider summoned rookie left-hander Fluharty to confront the heart of the order in the sixth. Fluharty needed just four pitches to get out Muncy and Tommy Edman, protecting a narrow lead that soon became safe.

Converted starter Chris Bassitt then worked a clean seventh and eighth innings as the Los Angeles' bats continued to sputter. Los Angeles have scored only 3 scores over their previous 20 innings, an sudden slowdown for a team that was among MLB's top lineups all year.

Closing Innings

The Los Angeles managed a score in the ninth when Edman grounded out to bring home Hernández after a base on balls and Max Muncy's two-base hit put two on base. But Louis Varland closed it down without permitting a rally to build.

Following a night when Toronto left a World Series-record 19 baserunners and collapsed after wave upon wave of wasted opportunities, the fourth contest was brutally efficient. Six separate Blue Jays collected base hits, five brought home runs and the squad cashed almost every scoring opportunity available in the final stanzas.

Next Up

The victory ensures the World Series trophy will be awarded at their home stadium, where the Toronto have not won a title since Joe Carter's iconic game-winning home run in 1993. They now know they are guaranteed a full house in Canada on Friday evening – and possibly the next day – no matter what occurs next in LA.

Game 5 approaches with the matchup reset and energy shifting to Toronto. Dodgers left-hander Blake Snell (3-1, 2.42 ERA) will try to arrest the Blue Jays's momentum. Toronto counter with rookie Trey Yesavage (2-1, 4.26 ERA) in a rematch of Game 1, when the Toronto knocked out the starter early in an 11-4 victory.