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Only 24 hours following enduring one of the most exhausting defeats in Fall Classic history, the Toronto Blue Jays played with complete control.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr smashed a two-run home run and Shane Bieber provided a composed start as the Blue Jays beat the Dodgers 6-2 in the fourth game on Tuesday night at their home ballpark, tying the Fall Classic at two games each and guaranteeing the series will head back to Canada.

The Blue Jays had passed the early hours of the next day processing their marathon third game defeat – equal to the longest World Series game ever – a defeat that cost them the opportunity to lead the matchup and burned through both relief corps. Skipper John Schneider insisted later that “they won a contest, not the championship”. Twenty-three hours later, his team offered convincing proof.

Initial Action

The Dodgers again scored first. Max Muncy walked in the second inning, advanced on a base hit and crossed the plate on Hernández's fly out. But the early breakthrough did not rattle a Blue Jays club that led MLB with 49 comeback wins this year.

They answered immediately in the third inning. Nathan Lukes hit a one-out base hit to center field and Vladimir Guerrero Jr stepped in looking for a breaking ball. Shohei Ohtani threw a slider up and Guerrero sent it soaring over the left-center wall. It was his first long hit of the series and his 7th homer this postseason – a fresh team record – regaining the Blue Jays's lead after 13 shutout innings and shifting the momentum of the night.

Shohei's Night

That swing also ended Shohei Ohtani's record-setting streak of 11 consecutive at-bats getting on base. The dual-threat phenomenon had hit two homers and got on base a record nine times in the Dodgers' third game comeback win. But on Tuesday, he took the mound on short rest – his shortest ever – after requiring an IV to recuperate from the previous extra-inning game.

His fastball velocity was below his seasonal average and he struggled more as the game progressed. Nonetheless, he displayed glimpses of his usual control, retiring 11 of 12 after Guerrero Jr's homer and fanning six. He even walked in the first inning to continue his World Series record. But the Blue Jays made him work: six base hits and four runs were credited to him in six-plus innings.

Seventh Inning Surge

The bigger problem for Los Angeles was what followed when he eventually lost steam.

Varsho opened the seventh inning with a sharp hit to right, and Clement smashed a double off the wall to put runners on with no outs. Dave Roberts had little choice but to pull Ohtani, who exited to a roaring applause from the home crowd. The Los Angeles' relief corps could not finish the inning.

Anthony Banda came into the jam and right away fell behind. Andrés Giménez fought to a 3-2 count before driving in Varsho with a single to left. France followed with a fielder's choice to make it 4-1, and that was sufficient to remove the pitcher out of the contest. Treinen came in next but also failed to stop the rally: Bo Bichette and Barger punched run-scoring base hits through the infield, capping a four-run outburst that pushed the margin to 6-1.

Blue Jays's Resilience

The Toronto's ability to absorb early blows and answer has characterized their entire postseason. They once again did it without George Springer, the injured top-of-the-order hitter who left the third game after straining his oblique.

Shane Bieber, in contrast, was everything the Blue Jays required. Traded for mid-season while finishing rehab from elbow surgery, the former Cy Young winner left multiple baserunners and quieted the Los Angeles' potent lineup. He allowed one earned run on four hits and three free passes before Schneider summoned rookie left-hander Fluharty to face the heart of the order in the sixth. Fluharty required just 4 pitches to retire Max Muncy and Edman, protecting a narrow advantage that soon grew comfortable.

Former starting pitcher Bassitt then pitched a clean seventh and eighth as the Dodgers' offense kept to struggle. Los Angeles have scored only three runs over their last 20 frames, an sudden slowdown for a club that was among MLB's top lineups all season.

Closing Moments

The Dodgers managed a score in the ninth when Edman hit into an out to bring home Teoscar Hernández after a walk and Muncy's two-base hit put runners aboard. But Varland closed it down without permitting a rally to develop.

Following a night when Toronto stranded a World Series-record 19 runners and collapsed after wave upon wave of missed opportunities, the fourth contest was brutally effective. 6 different Toronto players collected base hits, five brought home runs and the team cashed almost every scoring opportunity presented in the late innings.

Next Up

The victory guarantees the championship trophy will be awarded at their home stadium, where the Blue Jays have not won a championship since Joe Carter's famous game-winning home run in 1993. They now know they are guaranteed a packed house in Toronto on Friday night – and possibly the next day – no matter what happens next in Los Angeles.

The fifth game approaches with the matchup even and energy shifting north. Los Angeles left-hander Snell (3-1, 2.42 ERA) will attempt to halt the Blue Jays's momentum. Toronto counter with first-year player Yesavage (2-1, 4.26 ERA) in a repeat of the opener, when the Toronto knocked out Snell quickly in an 11-4 win.