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Only 24 hours after staggering through one of the most exhausting losses in Fall Classic history, the Toronto Blue Jays played with total command.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr crushed a two-run home run and Bieber delivered a composed start as the Blue Jays defeated the Dodgers 6-2 in the fourth game on Tuesday night at their home ballpark, tying the Fall Classic at two games each and ensuring the matchup will head back to Canada.

Toronto had passed the morning of the next day dealing with their 18-inning Game 3 loss – tied for the longest Fall Classic game ever – a loss that cost them the opportunity to take the lead in the series and depleted both relief corps. Skipper Schneider stated later that “they took a contest, not the championship”. Twenty-three hours later, his team provided convincing evidence.

Initial Action

The Dodgers again struck first. Max Muncy walked in the second, moved up on a single and crossed the plate on Kiké Hernández's sacrifice fly. But the initial score did not shake a Toronto team that topped Major League Baseball with 49 comeback victories this season.

They answered immediately in the third inning. Nathan Lukes hit a one-out base hit to center field and Guerrero came to the plate looking for a curveball. Shohei Ohtani left a sweeper up and Guerrero drove it soaring over the left-center wall. It was his initial extra-base hit of the series and his seventh homer this postseason – a fresh team record – restoring the Toronto's advantage after 13 scoreless innings and changing the momentum of the game.

Shohei's Performance

That swing also halted Shohei Ohtani's history-making run of 11 straight plate appearances getting on base. The dual-threat star had hit two homers and reached safely a historic nine times in the Los Angeles' third game comeback win. But on Tuesday, he took the mound on limited rest – his shortest ever – after needing an IV to recuperate from the previous extra-inning game.

Ohtani 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 Jr's blast and fanning six. He even walked in the first to continue his World Series streak. But the Blue Jays made him work: six hits and four earned runs were credited to him in six-plus innings.

Seventh Inning Surge

The larger issue for Los Angeles was what followed when Ohtani finally lost energy.

Varsho opened the seventh inning with a clean hit to right field, and Clement smashed a double off the fence to put two on with none out. Dave Roberts had little choice but to pull Ohtani, who exited to a roaring applause from the home crowd. The Los Angeles' bullpen could not complete the escape.

Banda came into the jam and immediately trailed in the count. Andrés Giménez fought to a full count before scoring Varsho with a single to left field. Ty France followed with a fielder's choice to make it 4-1, and that was sufficient to remove Banda out of the game. Blake Treinen entered next but also was unable to stop the rally: Bo Bichette and Addison Barger hit run-scoring singles through the diamond, capping a four-score outburst that pushed the margin to 6-1.

Blue Jays's Resilience

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

Bieber, meanwhile, was exactly what Toronto needed. Traded for mid-season while finishing recovery from Tommy John surgery, the former award-winning winner left multiple baserunners and quieted the Los Angeles' potent batting order. He gave up one earned run on four hits and three walks before the manager called on rookie left-hander Mason Fluharty to confront the heart of the lineup in the sixth. He required just 4 throws to get out Muncy and Tommy Edman, protecting a narrow advantage that quickly grew safe.

Former starter Bassitt then worked a scoreless seventh and eighth as the Dodgers' offense kept to sputter. The Dodgers have produced only three scores over their previous 20 frames, an sudden downturn for a team that ranked among MLB's top offenses all season.

Final Innings

The Dodgers scraped a score in the ninth when Tommy Edman grounded out to bring home Hernández after a walk and Muncy's double put runners aboard. But Varland closed it down without allowing a comeback to develop.

After a night when the Blue Jays stranded a Fall Classic-record 19 baserunners and fell apart after repeated of wasted opportunities, the fourth contest was ruthlessly efficient. 6 different Toronto players collected hits, 5 drove in scores and the team cashed almost every scoring opportunity presented in the final innings.

Next Up

The victory ensures the World Series trophy will be presented at Rogers Centre, where the Blue Jays have not won a championship since Joe Carter's iconic game-winning homer in '93. They now know they are assured a packed house in Toronto on Friday night – and perhaps Saturday – no matter what happens next in Los Angeles.

Game 5 approaches with the series even and momentum shifting to Toronto. Dodgers pitcher Snell (3-1, 2.42 ERA) will try to arrest the Toronto's momentum. The Blue Jays counter with rookie Trey Yesavage (2-1, 4.26 ERA) in a rematch of the opener, when the Blue Jays knocked out the starter early in an decisive victory.