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Only 24 hours after staggering through one of the most exhausting losses in World Series annals, the Toronto Blue Jays displayed complete command.

Guerrero smashed a two-run homer and Bieber delivered a steady outing as the Blue Jays defeated the Dodgers 6-2 in Game 4 on Tuesday night at their home ballpark, tying the Fall Classic at two games each and guaranteeing the series will head back to Toronto.

The Blue Jays had spent the morning of the next day processing their marathon Game 3 loss – tied for the longest World Series contest ever – a loss that cost them the chance to lead the series and depleted both relief corps. Skipper Schneider stated later that “the Dodgers won a contest, not the World Series”. Twenty-three hours later, his team offered emphatic proof.

Early Action

The Los Angeles again scored first. Muncy drew a walk in the second, moved up on a single and crossed the plate on Kiké Hernández's fly out. But the early score did not rattle a Blue Jays team that topped MLB with 49 come-from-behind victories this year.

They responded right away in the third inning. Lukes hit a one away single to centre and Vladimir Guerrero Jr stepped in hunting a curveball. Shohei Ohtani threw a sweeper up and he sent it soaring over the left-center wall. It was his initial extra-base hit of the World Series and his 7th homer this postseason – a fresh club mark – restoring the Toronto's lead after 13 scoreless innings and changing the momentum of the night.

Shohei's Night

That hit also halted Shohei Ohtani's history-making streak of 11 straight plate appearances reaching base. The two-way star had hit two homers and got on base a historic nine times in the Los Angeles' third game comeback win. But on Tuesday, he took the mound on short rest – his shortest ever – after needing an IV to recover from the previous marathon.

Ohtani fastball velocity sat under his regular-season norm and he struggled more as the contest progressed. Nonetheless, he displayed glimpses of his typical control, retiring 11 of 12 after Guerrero Jr's homer and striking out six. He even walked in the first inning to continue his Fall Classic record. But the Toronto made him work: six hits and four runs were credited to him in over six frames.

Seventh Inning Rally

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

Varsho opened the seventh with a clean hit to right field, and Ernie Clement drilled a double off the fence to put runners on with no outs. Dave Roberts had no option but to remove Ohtani, who exited to a standing ovation from the local fans. The Dodgers' bullpen could not finish the inning.

Anthony Banda inherited the jam and right away trailed in the count. Andrés Giménez battled to a full count before driving in Varsho with a single to left field. France followed with a fielder's choice to make it 4-1, and that was sufficient to knock Banda out of the game. Treinen came in next but also failed to stem the momentum: Bichette and Barger punched run-scoring base hits through the infield, capping a four-run outburst that extended the lead to 6-1.

Blue Jays's Resilience

The Blue Jays's ability to absorb early setbacks and respond has defined their whole postseason. They once again did it without Springer, the hurt leadoff man who exited the third game after straining his right side.

Bieber, in contrast, was everything Toronto needed. Acquired mid-season while finishing rehab from Tommy John surgery, the former Cy Young winner left several runners and quieted the Los Angeles' dangerous batting order. He gave up one earned run on four hits and three free passes before the manager summoned rookie left-hander Fluharty to confront the core of the lineup in the sixth inning. He needed just 4 pitches to get out Muncy and Edman, preserving a fragile advantage that quickly grew safe.

Former starting pitcher Chris Bassitt then pitched a clean seventh and eighth innings as the Dodgers' offense kept to struggle. Los Angeles have scored only three scores over their last 20 frames, an sudden downturn for a team that ranked among baseball's top lineups all season.

Closing Moments

The Los Angeles managed a score in the ninth inning when Edman hit into an out to score Teoscar Hernández after a walk and Max Muncy's double put runners on base. But Louis Varland finished the game without permitting a comeback to build.

After a night when Toronto stranded a Fall Classic-record 19 baserunners and fell apart after wave upon wave of wasted chances, the fourth contest was ruthlessly effective. Six separate Blue Jays recorded base hits, 5 drove in scores and the squad converted almost every run-scoring chance presented in the final innings.

Next Up

The win ensures the championship title will be awarded at their home stadium, where the Toronto have not won a title since Joe Carter's iconic game-winning home run in '93. They now are aware they are guaranteed a packed house in Toronto on Friday evening – and perhaps Saturday – no matter what happens next in Los Angeles.

The fifth game approaches with the matchup reset and momentum swinging to Toronto. Dodgers left-hander Blake Snell (3-1, 2.42 ERA) will attempt to halt the Toronto's momentum. Toronto counter with first-year player Trey Yesavage (2-1, 4.26 ERA) in a repeat of the opener, when the Toronto chased the starter quickly in an 11-4 win.