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Less than a day following staggering through one of the most exhausting losses in World Series annals, the Blue Jays displayed total command.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr crushed a two-run homer and Bieber provided a composed outing as the Blue Jays beat the Dodgers 6-2 in the fourth game on Tuesday night at their home ballpark, squaring the World Series at two games each and ensuring the series will head back to Toronto.

Toronto had passed the morning of Tuesday dealing with their marathon Game 3 loss – tied for the lengthiest World Series game ever – a defeat that denied them the chance to take the lead in the series and depleted both bullpens. Skipper John Schneider stated later that “the Dodgers won a contest, not the World Series”. Twenty-three hours later, his team provided emphatic evidence.

Initial Action

The Los Angeles again struck first. Muncy walked in the second, moved up on a base hit and scored on Hernández's sacrifice fly. But the initial score did not shake a Blue Jays team that led Major League Baseball with 49 comeback victories this season.

They responded right away in the third. Nathan Lukes hit a one-out base hit to centre and Vladimir Guerrero Jr stepped in looking for a curveball. Shohei Ohtani threw a slider up and he drove it screaming over the outfield fence. It was his first extra-base hit of the series and his 7th homer this postseason – a fresh club record – regaining the Blue Jays's advantage after 13 scoreless frames and changing the momentum of the night.

Ohtani's Performance

That swing also halted Shohei Ohtani's record-setting run of 11 straight at-bats getting on base. The dual-threat phenomenon had smashed two homers and reached safely a record nine times in the Los Angeles' third game comeback win. But on that night, he took the mound on short rest – his briefest ever – after needing an IV to recuperate from the prior marathon.

His pitch speed was below his seasonal average and he labored more as the game progressed. Even so, he displayed glimpses of his usual control, retiring 11 of 12 after Guerrero Jr's blast and fanning six. He even walked in the first to extend his World Series record. But the Blue Jays made him work: six hits and four earned runs were charged to him in over six frames.

Late Game Surge

The larger issue for the Dodgers was what came next when Ohtani finally ran out of steam.

Varsho opened the seventh with a sharp single to right field, and Clement smashed a double off the wall to put runners on with no outs. Roberts had little choice but to remove Ohtani, who exited to a standing ovation from the home crowd. The Los Angeles' bullpen could not complete the escape.

Banda came into the mess and immediately fell behind. Andrés Giménez battled to a full count before scoring the runner with a base hit to left field. France followed with a fielder's choice to make it 4-1, and that was enough to remove the pitcher out of the game. Treinen entered next but also failed to stem the momentum: Bichette and Barger punched run-scoring base hits through the infield, completing a four-score outburst that extended the margin to 6-1.

Toronto's Toughness

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

Bieber, meanwhile, was everything the Blue Jays needed. Acquired mid-season while completing recovery from Tommy John surgery, the former award-winning winner stranded several baserunners and quieted the Los Angeles' potent lineup. He gave up one run on four base hits and three walks before Schneider called on rookie pitcher Fluharty to confront the heart of the order in the sixth. He needed just four throws to retire Max Muncy and Edman, protecting a narrow lead that quickly became safe.

Converted starting pitcher Bassitt then pitched a clean seventh and eighth as the Los Angeles' bats kept to struggle. The Dodgers have produced only 3 runs over their previous 20 innings, an abrupt slowdown for a team that ranked among baseball's elite offenses all year.

Final Moments

The Los Angeles scraped a score in the ninth inning when Tommy Edman grounded out to bring home Hernández after a base on balls and Muncy's double put two aboard. But Varland closed it down without permitting a rally to develop.

After a game when Toronto left a Fall Classic-record 19 baserunners and fell apart after wave upon wave of wasted opportunities, the fourth contest was ruthlessly efficient. 6 different Toronto players collected hits, 5 brought home runs and the team cashed nearly every scoring chance presented in the final stanzas.

Next Up

The victory guarantees the World Series trophy will be presented at Rogers Centre, where the Toronto have not celebrated a championship since Carter's famous walk-off home run in '93. They now know they are assured a full house in Canada on Friday evening – and possibly Saturday – no matter what happens next in Los Angeles.

The fifth game approaches with the series even and energy swinging north. Dodgers pitcher Blake Snell (3-1, 2.42 ERA) will attempt to arrest the Toronto's surge. The Blue Jays respond with rookie Yesavage (2-1, 4.26 ERA) in a repeat of Game 1, when the Blue Jays chased Snell quickly in an decisive win.