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

Vladimir Guerrero Jr smashed a two-run home run and Shane Bieber provided a composed start as Toronto defeated the Los Angeles Dodgers 6-2 in Game 4 on Tuesday evening at their home ballpark, squaring the Fall Classic at two games each and guaranteeing the series will return to Canada.

Toronto had passed the morning of Tuesday processing their marathon Game 3 loss – equal to the longest World Series game ever – a loss that denied them the opportunity to take the lead in the matchup and depleted both bullpens. Skipper Schneider insisted later that “the Dodgers won a game, not the championship”. Twenty-three hours later, his squad offered convincing proof.

Initial Action

The Los Angeles again struck first. Muncy walked in the second, advanced on a base hit and crossed the plate on Hernández's sacrifice fly. But the initial breakthrough did not rattle a Toronto club that led MLB with 49 comeback victories this season.

They responded immediately in the third. Lukes lined a one-out base hit to center field and Vladimir Guerrero Jr stepped in hunting a curveball. Shohei Ohtani left a sweeper up and Guerrero sent it soaring over the left-center wall. It was his first extra-base hit of the World Series and his seventh home run this playoffs – a fresh team mark – restoring the Toronto's advantage after 13 shutout innings and changing the tone of the game.

Shohei's Night

That swing also ended Ohtani's record-setting streak of 11 consecutive at-bats getting on base. The dual-threat star had hit two homers and got on base a record nine times in the Los Angeles' Game 3 walk-off. But on Tuesday, he took the mound on short rest – his briefest ever – after needing an IV to recover from the previous extra-inning game.

His fastball velocity sat below his seasonal norm and he labored more as the game progressed. Even so, he displayed glimpses of his usual control, retiring 11 of 12 after Guerrero's blast and striking out six. He even drew a walk in the first to continue his World Series record. But the Toronto made him work: six base hits and four earned runs were charged to him in over six innings.

Late Game Surge

The larger issue for Los Angeles was what followed when Ohtani eventually lost energy.

Daulton Varsho opened the seventh with a clean hit to right, and Ernie Clement smashed a double off the wall to put two on with no outs. Roberts had little choice but to pull Ohtani, who departed to a standing ovation from the home crowd. The Los Angeles' relief corps could not finish the inning.

Anthony Banda came into the mess and immediately trailed in the count. Andrés Giménez fought to a full count before driving in Varsho with a base hit to left. Ty France came up next with a groundout to make it 4-1, and that was sufficient to knock the pitcher out of the contest. Treinen came in next but also failed to stop the rally: Bo Bichette and Barger hit RBI singles through the infield, capping a four-score outburst that extended the lead to 6-1.

Blue Jays's Resilience

The Toronto's ability to withstand early blows and answer has characterized their whole postseason. They once again did it without Springer, the injured top-of-the-order hitter who exited the third game after straining his right side.

Shane Bieber, meanwhile, was exactly what Toronto needed. Traded for during the summer while finishing recovery from Tommy John surgery, the ex- Cy Young winner stranded several baserunners and quieted the Dodgers' dangerous lineup. He gave up one run on four base hits and three free passes before the manager called on first-year left-hander Fluharty to face the heart of the order in the sixth inning. Fluharty needed just 4 throws to retire Max Muncy and Tommy Edman, protecting a narrow lead that quickly grew comfortable.

Former starting pitcher Chris Bassitt then worked a scoreless seventh and eighth innings as the Los Angeles' offense kept to sputter. The Dodgers have produced only 3 runs over their last 20 innings, an sudden downturn for a team that was among MLB's elite lineups all season.

Closing Innings

The Los Angeles managed a score in the ninth when Edman grounded out to bring home Teoscar Hernández after a walk and Muncy's two-base hit put runners on base. But Varland finished the game without allowing a rally to develop.

Following a game when the Blue Jays stranded a Fall Classic-record 19 baserunners and fell apart after wave upon wave of missed opportunities, Game 4 was brutally effective. Six different Toronto players recorded base hits, five brought home runs and the squad cashed nearly every scoring opportunity presented in the final innings.

Looking Ahead

The victory guarantees the World Series title will be presented at their home stadium, where the Blue Jays have not celebrated a title since Carter's famous game-winning home run in '93. They now are aware they are assured a full house in Canada on Friday evening – and perhaps the next day – no matter what occurs next in LA.

The fifth game approaches with the matchup even and momentum shifting north. Los Angeles pitcher Snell (3-1, 2.42 ERA) will attempt to arrest the Toronto's momentum. Toronto respond with rookie Yesavage (2-1, 4.26 ERA) in a repeat of the opener, when the Toronto knocked out Snell early in an 11-4 victory.