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

Vladimir Guerrero Jr smashed a two-run homer and Bieber provided a composed start as Toronto defeated the Los Angeles Dodgers 6-2 in Game 4 on Tuesday evening at Dodger Stadium, tying the World Series at two games each and guaranteeing the matchup will return to Toronto.

Toronto had passed the early hours of Tuesday dealing with their 18-inning Game 3 loss – tied for the longest Fall Classic contest ever – a defeat that denied them the chance to lead the series and depleted both relief corps. Manager John Schneider stated afterwards that “the Dodgers won a contest, not the World Series”. A day later, his squad offered convincing evidence.

Early Innings

The Los Angeles again scored first. Muncy drew a walk in the second inning, moved up on a base hit and crossed the plate on Kiké Hernández's sacrifice fly. But the initial breakthrough did not shake a Toronto club that topped Major League Baseball with 49 come-from-behind victories this season.

They responded right away in the third inning. Lukes lined a one away single to centre and Guerrero came to the plate hunting a breaking ball. Ohtani left a slider up and Guerrero sent it soaring over the outfield fence. It was his initial extra-base hit of the World Series and his seventh homer this postseason – a fresh club mark – regaining the Blue Jays's advantage after 13 shutout frames and shifting the tone of the night.

Shohei's Night

That hit also ended Ohtani's history-making streak of 11 straight 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' Game 3 walk-off. But on Tuesday, he took the mound on short rest – his shortest ever – after requiring an IV to recuperate from the prior extra-inning game.

His fastball velocity sat below his regular-season norm and he struggled more as the game progressed. Nonetheless, he displayed glimpses of his usual control, retiring 11 of 12 after Guerrero Jr's blast and striking out six. He even drew a walk in the first to extend his World Series streak. But the Toronto forced him to labor: six hits and four runs were charged to him in six-plus innings.

Seventh Inning Surge

The bigger issue for the Dodgers was what came next when Ohtani eventually lost energy.

Daulton Varsho started the seventh with a sharp single to right field, and Clement smashed a two-base hit off the wall to put runners on with none out. Dave Roberts had no option but to pull the starter, who exited to a roaring applause from the local fans. The Los Angeles' relief corps could not finish the inning.

Anthony Banda came into the jam and right away fell behind. Giménez fought to a full count before driving in the runner with a base hit to left field. France came up next with a fielder's choice to make it 4-1, and that was enough to remove Banda out of the contest. Blake Treinen entered next but also failed to stem the rally: Bo Bichette and Addison Barger hit RBI base hits through the diamond, completing a four-run outburst that extended the lead to 6-1.

Blue Jays's Toughness

The Blue Jays's ability to withstand initial blows and answer has characterized their entire run. They once again succeeded without Springer, the injured top-of-the-order man who exited the third game after straining his right side.

Bieber, meanwhile, was everything Toronto needed. Acquired during the summer while finishing rehab from elbow surgery, the ex- award-winning winner stranded several baserunners and quieted the Dodgers' potent batting order. He allowed one run on four base hits and three free passes before the manager summoned rookie left-hander Mason Fluharty to confront the core of the order in the sixth inning. He required just 4 pitches to retire Muncy and Edman, preserving a narrow advantage that soon became safe.

Former starting pitcher Chris Bassitt then pitched a scoreless seventh and eighth as the Los Angeles' bats kept to sputter. Los Angeles have scored only 3 scores over their last 20 innings, an sudden downturn for a team that ranked among baseball's elite lineups all season.

Final Moments

The Los Angeles managed a run in the ninth inning when Tommy Edman hit into an out to bring home Hernández after a walk and Max Muncy's two-base hit put two on base. But Louis Varland finished the game without permitting a rally to develop.

After a game when Toronto stranded a Fall Classic-record 19 runners and collapsed after repeated of missed chances, the fourth contest was brutally efficient. 6 different Toronto players recorded hits, five drove in scores and the squad cashed nearly every scoring opportunity available in the late innings.

Looking Ahead

The victory ensures the World Series trophy will be presented at Rogers Centre, where the Toronto have not won a championship since Joe Carter's iconic game-winning homer in '93. They now know they are assured a packed crowd in Toronto on Friday night – and perhaps the next day – no matter what happens next in Los Angeles.

The fifth game looms with the matchup even and momentum shifting north. Dodgers left-hander Snell (3-1, 2.42 ERA) will try to halt the Toronto's momentum. The Blue Jays respond with first-year player Trey Yesavage (2-1, 4.26 ERA) in a repeat of Game 1, when the Toronto chased the starter early in an decisive victory.