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Less than a day 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 homer and Bieber provided a steady start as the Blue Jays defeated the Dodgers 6-2 in the fourth game on Tuesday evening at their home ballpark, squaring the Fall Classic at two games each and ensuring the matchup will head back to Canada.

Toronto had passed the early hours of Tuesday processing their 18-inning Game 3 loss – equal to the longest World Series contest ever – a loss that denied them the chance to lead the series and depleted both bullpens. Manager John Schneider stated afterwards that “they won a game, not the World Series”. Twenty-three hours later, his squad offered convincing proof.

Initial Action

The Los Angeles again struck first. Max Muncy drew a walk in the second inning, advanced on a single and crossed the plate on Hernández's sacrifice fly. But the early breakthrough did not shake a Toronto club that led Major League Baseball with 49 come-from-behind wins this season.

They responded right away in the third. Nathan Lukes hit a one away base hit to centre and Vladimir Guerrero Jr stepped in looking for a curveball. Shohei Ohtani left a slider up and he drove it screaming over the outfield fence. It was his first long hit of the World Series and his seventh home run this playoffs – a new team mark – restoring the Toronto's advantage after 13 scoreless frames and changing the tone of the night.

Ohtani's Night

That hit also halted Shohei Ohtani's record-setting streak of 11 consecutive at-bats getting on base. The two-way phenomenon had hit two home runs and got on base a historic nine times in the Dodgers' Game 3 walk-off. But on that night, he started on short rest – his shortest ever – after needing an IV to recover from the previous marathon.

His fastball velocity sat under his regular-season average and he labored more as the contest wore on. Nonetheless, he displayed flashes of his usual command, setting down 11 of 12 after Guerrero Jr's blast and striking out six. He even walked in the first to continue his World Series record. But the Toronto forced him to labor: six base hits and four runs were charged to him in six-plus innings.

Seventh Inning Surge

The larger problem for Los Angeles was what came next when he eventually ran out of energy.

Daulton Varsho started the seventh inning with a sharp hit to right, and Clement smashed a double off the fence to put runners on with no outs. Dave Roberts had little choice but to pull the starter, who departed to a standing ovation from the home crowd. The Los Angeles' bullpen could not finish the escape.

Banda came into the jam and right away fell behind. Giménez battled to a full count before scoring the runner with a single to left field. France followed with a groundout to make it 4-1, and that was enough to remove Banda out of the contest. Treinen came in next but also failed to stop the rally: Bichette and Addison Barger punched run-scoring base hits through the diamond, completing a four-score barrage that extended the lead to 6-1.

Blue Jays's Resilience

The Blue Jays's ability to withstand initial blows and respond has defined their whole postseason. They once again did it without Springer, the injured top-of-the-order man who left the third game after straining his oblique.

Bieber, meanwhile, was exactly what the Blue Jays required. Traded for mid-season while finishing recovery from Tommy John surgery, the former award-winning winner stranded multiple baserunners and quieted the Dodgers' dangerous batting order. He gave up one run on four base hits and three walks before Schneider summoned first-year pitcher Mason Fluharty to face the core of the order in the sixth. He required just 4 throws to retire Muncy and Edman, protecting a fragile lead that soon grew safe.

Converted starting pitcher Bassitt then pitched a scoreless seventh and eighth as the Dodgers' offense continued to sputter. The Dodgers have produced only 3 scores over their previous 20 innings, an abrupt slowdown for a club that was among MLB's top lineups all season.

Closing Moments

The Dodgers managed a score in the ninth inning when Edman hit into an out to score Teoscar Hernández after a base on balls and Muncy's double put two aboard. But Varland closed it down without allowing a comeback to build.

Following a night when Toronto stranded a Fall Classic-record 19 runners and collapsed after repeated of missed chances, the fourth contest was brutally effective. 6 different Blue Jays recorded base hits, 5 drove in runs and the team cashed almost every scoring opportunity presented in the late innings.

Next Up

The win guarantees the championship title will be presented at Rogers Centre, where the Toronto have not won a championship since Joe Carter's famous walk-off homer in '93. They now know they are assured a full house in Toronto on Friday night – and possibly Saturday – no matter what happens next in Los Angeles.

Game 5 approaches with the series even and momentum shifting to Toronto. Los Angeles pitcher Snell (3-1, 2.42 ERA) will attempt to arrest the Toronto's momentum. Toronto counter with rookie Trey Yesavage (2-1, 4.26 ERA) in a repeat of the opener, when the Toronto chased the starter quickly in an decisive win.