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Less than a day following staggering through one of the most draining losses in Fall Classic history, the Toronto Blue Jays played with total control.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr smashed a two-run homer and Shane Bieber delivered a steady start as the Blue Jays defeated the Dodgers 6-2 in the fourth game on Tuesday evening at their home ballpark, tying the Fall Classic at two wins apiece and guaranteeing the series will head back to Toronto.

The Blue Jays had passed the early hours of Tuesday dealing with their 18-inning third game defeat – tied for the lengthiest World Series contest ever – a defeat that cost them the opportunity to lead the series and burned through both relief corps. Skipper John Schneider stated later that “the Dodgers took a game, not the championship”. Twenty-three hours later, his team offered emphatic evidence.

Initial Action

The Dodgers again struck first. Muncy walked 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 topped Major League Baseball with 49 comeback wins this year.

They answered immediately in the third inning. Nathan Lukes hit a one away single to centre and Guerrero came to the plate looking for a breaking ball. Shohei Ohtani threw a slider up and Guerrero drove it screaming over the outfield fence. It was his first long hit of the series and his 7th homer this playoffs – a fresh club mark – restoring the Blue Jays's lead after 13 scoreless innings and changing the tone of the night.

Shohei's Night

That swing also ended Shohei Ohtani's record-setting run of 11 straight plate appearances reaching base. The two-way phenomenon had hit two homers and got on base a historic nine times in the Los Angeles' third game comeback win. But on Tuesday, he started on short rest – his shortest ever – after needing an IV to recuperate from the prior extra-inning game.

His fastball velocity sat under his regular-season average and he labored more as the contest progressed. Nonetheless, he showed glimpses of his typical command, retiring 11 of 12 after Guerrero's blast and fanning six. He even walked in the first inning to extend his Fall Classic record. But the Toronto made him work: six base hits and four earned runs were credited to him in over six innings.

Seventh Inning Surge

The bigger issue for Los Angeles was what followed when he eventually ran out of steam.

Varsho started the seventh inning with a sharp hit to right field, and Clement smashed a two-base hit off the fence to put two on with no outs. Dave Roberts had little choice but to remove Ohtani, who departed to a standing ovation from the local fans. The Los Angeles' bullpen could not finish the escape.

Banda came into the jam and right away fell behind. Andrés Giménez fought to a 3-2 count before driving in the runner with a single to left field. Ty France followed with a groundout to make it 4-1, and that was enough to knock Banda out of the contest. Blake Treinen entered next but also was unable to stem the momentum: Bo Bichette and Barger punched run-scoring base hits through the diamond, capping a four-run barrage that pushed the lead to 6-1.

Blue Jays's Resilience

The Toronto's ability to absorb early setbacks and respond has defined their whole run. They once again succeeded without George Springer, the injured top-of-the-order hitter who left the third game after straining his right side.

Bieber, in contrast, was everything Toronto needed. Traded for during the summer while finishing rehab from elbow surgery, the ex- Cy Young winner stranded several runners and silenced the Dodgers' potent batting order. He gave up one run on four hits and three free passes before Schneider called on first-year left-hander Mason Fluharty to face the core of the order in the sixth. Fluharty needed just four pitches to get out Max Muncy and Edman, preserving a fragile lead that soon became comfortable.

Former starting pitcher Chris Bassitt then pitched a clean seventh and eighth as the Dodgers' offense kept to sputter. Los Angeles have produced only three scores over their last 20 frames, an abrupt downturn for a team that ranked among baseball's top offenses all year.

Closing Innings

The Los Angeles managed a run in the ninth when Tommy Edman grounded out to score Teoscar Hernández after a walk and Muncy's double put two aboard. But Varland closed it down without allowing a comeback to build.

Following a night when the Blue Jays left a World Series-record 19 baserunners and fell apart after repeated of missed opportunities, Game 4 was brutally effective. 6 different Toronto players recorded base hits, five drove in runs and the team cashed almost every run-scoring chance available in the final innings.

Looking Ahead

The win guarantees the championship title will be presented at Rogers Centre, where the Blue Jays have not won a championship since Carter's famous game-winning home run in '93. They now are aware they are assured a full house in Canada on Friday night – and perhaps the next day – no matter what occurs next in LA.

The fifth game looms with the series even and momentum swinging north. Los Angeles pitcher Snell (3-1, 2.42 ERA) will try to arrest the Blue Jays's momentum. The Blue Jays counter with first-year player Trey Yesavage (2-1, 4.26 ERA) in a rematch of the opener, when the Toronto chased Snell quickly in an 11-4 victory.