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Only 24 hours after enduring one of the most exhausting defeats in World Series history, the Blue Jays displayed total command.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr crushed a two-run homer and Shane Bieber delivered a composed start as Toronto defeated the Dodgers 6-2 in Game 4 on Tuesday night at Dodger Stadium, tying the Fall Classic at two wins apiece and ensuring the series will head back to Toronto.

Toronto had spent the morning of Tuesday dealing with their marathon third game defeat – tied for the longest Fall Classic contest ever – a defeat that denied them the opportunity to take the lead in the series and burned through both relief corps. Manager Schneider insisted afterwards that “they took a contest, not the championship”. A day later, his squad offered convincing proof.

Early Innings

The Los Angeles again struck first. Max Muncy walked in the second inning, moved up on a base hit and scored on Hernández's sacrifice fly. But the early breakthrough did not shake a Toronto team that led Major League Baseball with 49 comeback victories this year.

They responded immediately in the third inning. Lukes hit a one-out base hit to center field and Vladimir Guerrero Jr came to the plate hunting a curveball. Shohei Ohtani left a slider up and he sent it soaring over the left-center wall. It was his first long hit of the World Series and his seventh home run this playoffs – a new club record – restoring the Toronto's lead after 13 scoreless frames and changing the tone of the night.

Ohtani's Night

That hit also ended Shohei Ohtani's history-making run of 11 consecutive plate appearances getting on base. The two-way phenomenon had smashed two home runs and got on base a historic nine times in the Dodgers' third game walk-off. But on Tuesday, he took the mound on short rest – his briefest ever – after needing an IV to recover from the prior marathon.

His fastball velocity was below his seasonal average and he labored more as the game wore on. Even so, he displayed glimpses of his typical control, setting down 11 of 12 after Guerrero's homer and fanning six. He even drew a walk in the first to continue his World Series streak. But the Toronto made him work: six hits and four earned runs were credited to him in six-plus frames.

Seventh Inning Rally

The bigger problem for Los Angeles was what followed when Ohtani finally lost energy.

Daulton Varsho started the seventh inning with a clean single to right, and Ernie Clement drilled a double off the fence to put runners on with none out. Roberts had no option but to remove the starter, who departed to a standing ovation from the local fans. The Los Angeles' bullpen could not finish the inning.

Banda came into the mess and immediately fell behind. Giménez battled to a full count before driving in the runner with a base hit to left field. France came up next with a groundout to make it 4-1, and that was enough to remove the pitcher out of the contest. Blake Treinen entered next but also failed to stem the rally: Bichette and Barger hit run-scoring singles through the infield, completing a four-score barrage that extended the margin to 6-1.

Blue Jays's Toughness

The Blue Jays's ability to absorb initial blows and answer has characterized their entire postseason. They once again did it without George Springer, the injured leadoff man who left the third game after tweaking his right side.

Bieber, meanwhile, was everything Toronto required. Acquired during the summer while finishing recovery from Tommy John surgery, the former Cy Young winner stranded several runners and silenced the Dodgers' potent 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 heart of the order in the sixth. He needed just four pitches to retire Max Muncy and Tommy Edman, preserving a narrow advantage that quickly became safe.

Converted starter Bassitt then worked a clean seventh and eighth innings as the Dodgers' bats kept to sputter. The Dodgers have produced only three scores over their previous 20 innings, an abrupt slowdown for a team that ranked among MLB's elite offenses all year.

Final Moments

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

After a game when the Blue Jays stranded a Fall Classic-record 19 runners and fell apart after repeated of missed opportunities, the fourth contest was brutally efficient. Six different Blue Jays recorded base hits, five brought home runs and the squad converted almost every scoring chance available in the late innings.

Looking Ahead

The win ensures the World Series trophy will be presented at Rogers Centre, where the Toronto have not celebrated a title since Joe Carter's iconic walk-off home run in 1993. They now know they are guaranteed a packed crowd in Canada on Friday evening – and possibly Saturday – no matter what happens next in Los Angeles.

Game 5 approaches with the matchup even and energy shifting north. Dodgers left-hander Snell (3-1, 2.42 ERA) will attempt to arrest the Blue Jays's surge. Toronto counter with first-year player Trey Yesavage (2-1, 4.26 ERA) in a repeat of Game 1, when the Toronto chased Snell early in an 11-4 win.