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Only 24 hours following staggering through one of the most draining losses in World Series annals, the Toronto Blue Jays displayed complete control.

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

Toronto had spent the early hours of the next day processing their 18-inning third game defeat – tied for the longest World Series contest ever – a loss that denied them the chance to lead the series and burned through both bullpens. Skipper Schneider insisted afterwards that “the Dodgers took a game, not the World Series”. Twenty-three hours later, his squad offered emphatic proof.

Initial Action

The Los Angeles again scored first. Muncy drew a walk in the second, advanced on a base hit and scored on Hernández's fly out. But the early breakthrough did not rattle a Toronto club that topped Major League Baseball with 49 come-from-behind victories this season.

They responded immediately in the third. Lukes hit a one away single to center field and Vladimir Guerrero Jr came to the plate looking for a breaking ball. Shohei Ohtani threw a sweeper up and Guerrero sent it screaming over the left-center wall. It was his first extra-base hit of the series and his 7th homer this playoffs – a new club record – restoring the Toronto's advantage after 13 shutout innings and changing the tone of the game.

Shohei's Night

That hit also halted Ohtani's record-setting run of 11 straight plate appearances getting on base. The two-way star had hit two homers and got on base a historic nine times in the Dodgers' third game comeback win. But on Tuesday, he started on limited rest – his shortest ever – after requiring an IV to recover from the prior extra-inning game.

His pitch speed was below his regular-season average and he labored more as the contest progressed. Nonetheless, he showed glimpses of his usual command, retiring 11 of 12 after Guerrero's homer and striking out six. He even drew a walk in the first to extend his World Series streak. But the Toronto made him work: six base hits and four runs were charged to him in over six innings.

Seventh Inning Rally

The larger problem for Los Angeles was what followed when Ohtani eventually lost steam.

Daulton Varsho started the seventh with a sharp single to right field, and Clement drilled a double off the fence to put two on with none out. Dave Roberts had little choice but to remove Ohtani, who exited to a roaring applause from the home crowd. The Dodgers' bullpen could not complete the escape.

Anthony Banda came into the mess and right away fell behind. Andrés Giménez battled to a 3-2 count before driving in Varsho with a base hit to left. Ty France came up next with a groundout to make it 4-1, and that was sufficient to remove the pitcher out of the game. Blake Treinen entered next but also failed to stop the rally: Bo Bichette and Addison Barger hit RBI base hits through the diamond, completing a four-run outburst that pushed the margin to 6-1.

Blue Jays's Toughness

The Toronto's capacity to absorb initial blows and respond has defined their entire run. They once again succeeded without Springer, the hurt leadoff hitter who exited Game 3 after tweaking his oblique.

Shane Bieber, meanwhile, was everything Toronto needed. Acquired during the summer while completing recovery from Tommy John surgery, the former award-winning winner left multiple runners and silenced the Los Angeles' potent batting order. He gave up one run on four hits and three walks before the manager summoned rookie left-hander Mason Fluharty to face the heart of the lineup in the sixth. Fluharty required just 4 pitches to retire Muncy and Edman, preserving a narrow advantage that soon grew comfortable.

Converted starting pitcher Chris Bassitt then pitched a scoreless seventh and eighth innings as the Los Angeles' offense continued to sputter. Los Angeles have scored only three runs over their last 20 innings, an sudden downturn for a team that ranked among MLB's elite lineups all season.

Closing Innings

The Dodgers managed a score in the ninth inning when Tommy Edman grounded out to bring home Teoscar Hernández after a walk and Max Muncy's two-base hit put two aboard. But Varland finished the game without allowing a rally to build.

Following a night when Toronto stranded a World Series-record 19 runners and collapsed after wave upon wave of wasted chances, Game 4 was ruthlessly efficient. 6 separate Blue Jays collected hits, 5 drove in scores and the team cashed nearly every run-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 won a championship since Joe Carter's famous walk-off homer in 1993. They now are aware they are guaranteed a full house in Toronto on Friday night – and perhaps Saturday – no matter what happens next in Los Angeles.

The fifth game approaches with the series even and momentum shifting to Toronto. Los Angeles pitcher Snell (3-1, 2.42 ERA) will attempt to arrest the Blue Jays's momentum. The Blue Jays respond with first-year player Trey Yesavage (2-1, 4.26 ERA) in a repeat of the opener, when the Toronto knocked out Snell quickly in an 11-4 victory.