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

Vladimir Guerrero Jr smashed a two-run home run and Shane Bieber delivered a steady start as the Blue Jays beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 6-2 in Game 4 on Tuesday night at their home ballpark, squaring the Fall Classic at two games each and ensuring the series will return to Toronto.

The Blue Jays had spent the morning of Tuesday processing their 18-inning third game defeat – tied for the lengthiest World Series contest ever – a defeat that denied them the chance to take the lead in the series and depleted both bullpens. Manager Schneider stated later that “they won a game, not the World Series”. Twenty-three hours later, his team offered emphatic proof.

Initial Innings

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

They answered right away in the third. Nathan Lukes lined a one-out base hit to center field and Vladimir Guerrero Jr stepped in looking for a curveball. Shohei Ohtani left a slider up and Guerrero sent it soaring over the left-center wall. It was his initial extra-base hit of the World Series and his seventh homer this postseason – a fresh club mark – regaining the Toronto's advantage after 13 scoreless frames and shifting the tone of the night.

Shohei's Performance

That hit also ended Shohei Ohtani's history-making run of 11 straight plate appearances reaching base. The two-way star had smashed two homers and reached safely a historic nine times in the Dodgers' Game 3 walk-off. But on that night, he took the mound on limited rest – his briefest ever – after requiring an IV to recover from the prior extra-inning game.

His pitch speed was below his seasonal average and he struggled more as the game progressed. Nonetheless, he displayed glimpses of his typical control, setting down 11 of 12 after Guerrero's blast and striking out six. He even walked in the first to continue his World Series record. But the Blue Jays forced him to labor: six base hits and four runs were charged to him in six-plus innings.

Late Game Rally

The larger problem for the Dodgers was what came next when Ohtani eventually lost steam.

Daulton Varsho started the seventh inning with a clean single to right, and Clement drilled a double off the wall to put runners on with none out. Roberts had no option but to pull Ohtani, who departed to a standing ovation from the local fans. The Dodgers' bullpen could not complete the inning.

Anthony Banda came into the mess and immediately trailed in the count. Andrés Giménez battled to a 3-2 count before scoring Varsho with a base hit to left field. France came up next with a fielder's choice to make it 4-1, and that was enough to knock Banda out of the game. Blake Treinen entered next but also was unable to stem the momentum: Bo Bichette and Barger hit RBI base hits through the diamond, completing a four-score outburst that pushed the lead to 6-1.

Toronto's Toughness

The Toronto's capacity to withstand early setbacks and respond has defined their whole run. They once again did it without George Springer, the injured top-of-the-order hitter who left Game 3 after tweaking his oblique.

Bieber, meanwhile, was everything Toronto needed. Traded for mid-season while completing recovery from Tommy John surgery, the ex- Cy Young winner stranded multiple runners and quieted the Dodgers' potent batting order. He gave up one earned run on four hits and three free passes before Schneider summoned first-year left-hander Mason Fluharty to confront the core of the order in the sixth. He required just 4 throws to retire Muncy and Tommy Edman, preserving a fragile advantage that soon became safe.

Former starting pitcher Bassitt then worked a scoreless seventh and eighth as the Los Angeles' bats continued to struggle. Los Angeles have produced only three runs over their last 20 frames, an abrupt slowdown for a team that was among MLB's top offenses all season.

Final Moments

The Los Angeles scraped a run in the ninth when Tommy Edman hit into an out to bring home Hernández after a walk and Muncy's double put two aboard. But Louis Varland finished the game without permitting a rally to develop.

Following a night when Toronto left a World Series-record 19 runners and fell apart after repeated of wasted chances, Game 4 was ruthlessly efficient. Six different Blue Jays collected base hits, five brought home scores and the squad converted nearly every run-scoring chance presented in the final stanzas.

Looking Ahead

The victory guarantees 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 homer in 1993. They now know they are assured a packed house in Canada on Friday evening – and possibly the next day – no matter what occurs next in LA.

Game 5 looms with the series even and momentum shifting north. Dodgers left-hander Snell (3-1, 2.42 ERA) will attempt to halt the Toronto's momentum. The Blue Jays respond with rookie Trey Yesavage (2-1, 4.26 ERA) in a repeat of the opener, when the Blue Jays chased Snell quickly in an 11-4 win.