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Less than a day following staggering through one of the most draining losses in World Series history, the Toronto Blue Jays displayed total control.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr crushed a two-run home run and Shane Bieber provided a composed outing as the Blue Jays defeated the Dodgers 6-2 in Game 4 on Tuesday night at their home ballpark, tying the World Series at two wins apiece and ensuring the series will return to Canada.

The Blue Jays had passed the early hours of the next day processing their 18-inning third game defeat – equal to the longest World Series game ever – a loss that cost them the chance to lead the matchup and burned through both bullpens. Manager Schneider stated later that “they won a game, not the World Series”. A day later, his squad provided convincing proof.

Early Action

The Los Angeles again scored first. Muncy drew a walk in the second, advanced on a base hit and crossed the plate on Kiké Hernández's sacrifice fly. But the initial score did not shake a Blue Jays team that led MLB with 49 comeback victories this year.

They answered right away in the third. Nathan Lukes hit a one away single to centre and Guerrero stepped in hunting a curveball. Ohtani left a sweeper up and Guerrero drove it screaming over the left-center wall. It was his initial extra-base hit of the series and his 7th homer this playoffs – a new team record – regaining the Toronto's advantage after 13 shutout frames and shifting the tone of the game.

Ohtani's Night

That hit also ended Shohei Ohtani's record-setting run of 11 straight at-bats reaching base. The dual-threat phenomenon had hit two home runs and reached safely a record nine times in the Dodgers' third game comeback win. But on Tuesday, he took the mound on short rest – his briefest ever – after needing an IV to recuperate from the prior marathon.

Ohtani pitch speed was under his regular-season average and he struggled more as the contest wore on. Even so, he showed glimpses of his typical command, retiring 11 of 12 after Guerrero's blast and fanning six. He even walked in the first to extend his World Series streak. But the Blue Jays made him work: six base hits and four runs were credited to him in over six innings.

Late Game Surge

The larger issue for Los Angeles was what came next when he finally ran out of steam.

Daulton Varsho opened the seventh with a clean single to right field, and Clement drilled a two-base hit off the fence to put two on with no outs. Roberts had no option but to pull Ohtani, who exited to a standing ovation from the local fans. The Los Angeles' relief corps could not complete the escape.

Banda came into the jam and immediately fell behind. Andrés Giménez fought to a full count before scoring Varsho with a base hit to left. France followed with a fielder's choice to make it 4-1, and that was sufficient to knock the pitcher out of the contest. Treinen entered next but also was unable to stem the momentum: Bichette and Barger punched RBI singles through the diamond, completing a four-score barrage that extended the margin to 6-1.

Toronto's Resilience

The Blue Jays's capacity to withstand initial blows and answer has defined their whole postseason. They once again succeeded without George Springer, the injured leadoff man who exited the third game after straining his oblique.

Shane Bieber, meanwhile, was exactly what Toronto needed. Acquired during the summer while finishing recovery from Tommy John surgery, the former Cy Young winner stranded several baserunners and quieted the Los Angeles' dangerous lineup. He allowed one run on four base hits and three walks before Schneider called on first-year pitcher Mason Fluharty to confront the heart of the order in the sixth inning. He required just 4 pitches to retire Muncy and Tommy Edman, protecting a narrow lead that quickly became comfortable.

Converted starting pitcher Bassitt then pitched a clean seventh and eighth innings as the Los Angeles' offense continued to struggle. The Dodgers have produced only three runs over their last 20 frames, an sudden slowdown for a team that ranked among baseball's top offenses all year.

Final Innings

The Los Angeles scraped a run in the ninth when Tommy Edman grounded out to bring home Hernández after a walk and Muncy's double put runners on base. But Louis Varland closed it down without allowing a rally to build.

Following a game when the Blue Jays stranded a World Series-record 19 baserunners and fell apart after wave upon wave of wasted opportunities, the fourth contest was ruthlessly effective. Six separate Blue Jays recorded hits, five brought home scores and the squad converted nearly every run-scoring opportunity presented in the late stanzas.

Next Up

The victory ensures the championship trophy will be presented at their home stadium, where the Toronto have not celebrated a championship since Joe Carter's iconic game-winning home run in '93. They now know they are guaranteed a full house in Toronto on Friday night – and possibly the next day – no matter what happens next in Los Angeles.

Game 5 looms with the matchup reset and energy shifting north. Dodgers pitcher Blake Snell (3-1, 2.42 ERA) will try to halt the Toronto's momentum. The Blue Jays counter with first-year player Yesavage (2-1, 4.26 ERA) in a rematch of Game 1, when the Toronto knocked out the starter early in an decisive victory.