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Less than a day following enduring one of the most exhausting defeats in Fall Classic history, the Toronto Blue Jays played with total command.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr smashed a two-run home run and Shane Bieber delivered a steady outing as Toronto defeated the Dodgers 6-2 in the fourth game on Tuesday night at Dodger Stadium, tying the Fall Classic at two games each and ensuring the series will return to Toronto.

Toronto had spent the morning of Tuesday dealing with their 18-inning third game defeat – tied for the longest Fall Classic contest ever – a loss that cost them the opportunity to take the lead in the series and depleted both relief corps. Skipper John Schneider stated later that “the Dodgers won a game, not the championship”. A day later, his team offered convincing proof.

Early Action

The Dodgers again scored first. Max Muncy drew a walk in the second inning, moved up on a single and scored on Kiké Hernández's sacrifice fly. But the early score did not rattle a Toronto team that led MLB with 49 comeback victories this season.

They responded immediately in the third inning. Lukes lined a one away base hit to centre and Guerrero stepped in looking for a curveball. Ohtani threw a slider up and he sent it screaming over the outfield fence. It was his first extra-base hit of the World Series and his seventh home run this playoffs – a new team record – regaining the Toronto's advantage after 13 scoreless innings and shifting the tone of the night.

Ohtani's Night

That hit also ended Ohtani's history-making streak of 11 consecutive plate appearances getting on base. The dual-threat phenomenon had smashed two home runs and got on base a historic nine times in the Dodgers' Game 3 walk-off. But on Tuesday, he started on limited rest – his shortest ever – after requiring an IV to recuperate from the prior marathon.

Ohtani pitch speed was under his regular-season norm and he struggled more as the contest wore on. Even so, he displayed glimpses of his usual command, setting down 11 of 12 after Guerrero's homer and fanning six. He even drew a walk in the first to continue his Fall Classic streak. But the Toronto made him work: six base hits and four earned runs were credited to him in six-plus frames.

Late Game Surge

The larger problem for Los Angeles was what came next when he eventually lost steam.

Daulton Varsho opened the seventh inning with a sharp single to right, and Clement drilled a double off the fence to put runners on with none out. Dave Roberts had little choice but to remove the starter, who exited to a roaring applause from the home crowd. The Los Angeles' relief corps could not complete the inning.

Anthony Banda came into the jam and immediately trailed in the count. Andrés Giménez battled to a 3-2 count before scoring the runner with a single to left. Ty France followed with a groundout to make it 4-1, and that was sufficient to remove Banda out of the contest. Treinen entered next but also was unable to stop the momentum: Bo Bichette and Addison Barger hit run-scoring singles through the diamond, completing a four-run barrage that extended the margin to 6-1.

Blue Jays's Toughness

The Toronto's capacity to absorb early setbacks and respond has defined their whole postseason. They once again succeeded without Springer, the hurt leadoff hitter who exited Game 3 after straining his oblique.

Shane Bieber, meanwhile, was everything Toronto needed. Acquired mid-season while completing rehab from elbow surgery, the former award-winning winner left several runners and silenced the Los Angeles' dangerous batting order. He allowed one run on four base hits and three walks before the manager called on first-year left-hander Fluharty to face the heart of the order in the sixth inning. He needed just four throws to get out Max Muncy and Edman, protecting a narrow lead that soon became safe.

Former starter Chris Bassitt then worked a clean seventh and eighth innings as the Los Angeles' bats kept to sputter. Los Angeles have produced only 3 scores over their last 20 innings, an sudden slowdown for a team that was among baseball's elite offenses all season.

Final Moments

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

After a night when Toronto left a World Series-record 19 runners and fell apart after wave upon wave of missed opportunities, the fourth contest was ruthlessly efficient. 6 different Toronto players collected base hits, 5 brought home runs and the team cashed nearly every run-scoring chance presented in the late innings.

Looking Ahead

The victory ensures the championship title will be presented at their home stadium, where the Blue Jays have not celebrated a championship since Carter's famous walk-off homer in 1993. They now know they are guaranteed a packed house in Toronto on Friday night – and possibly Saturday – no matter what happens next in Los Angeles.

Game 5 approaches with the matchup reset and energy swinging to Toronto. Dodgers left-hander Snell (3-1, 2.42 ERA) will attempt to arrest the Blue Jays's surge. The Blue Jays respond with rookie Yesavage (2-1, 4.26 ERA) in a repeat of the opener, when the Blue Jays knocked out the starter early in an 11-4 victory.