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Less than a day following enduring one of the most exhausting defeats in World Series annals, the Toronto Blue Jays displayed complete control.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr crushed a two-run homer and Shane Bieber provided a composed outing as Toronto beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 6-2 in the fourth game on Tuesday evening at Dodger Stadium, tying the World Series at two wins apiece and ensuring the series will return to Toronto.

Toronto had spent the morning of the next day processing their marathon Game 3 loss – tied for the lengthiest World Series game ever – a loss that cost them the chance to lead the series and depleted both bullpens. Skipper Schneider insisted afterwards that “the Dodgers won a game, not the championship”. A day later, his squad provided convincing proof.

Initial Innings

The Dodgers again scored first. Max Muncy drew a walk in the second, moved up on a single and crossed the plate on Kiké Hernández's fly out. But the initial breakthrough did not shake a Toronto club that topped MLB with 49 comeback wins this season.

They answered immediately in the third inning. Lukes lined a one-out base hit to center field and Vladimir Guerrero Jr stepped in looking for a curveball. Ohtani threw a sweeper up and Guerrero drove it screaming over the left-center wall. It was his first extra-base hit of the World Series and his seventh homer this playoffs – a new club mark – restoring the Toronto's advantage after 13 scoreless innings and changing the tone of the game.

Shohei's Performance

That swing also halted Shohei Ohtani's history-making streak of 11 straight at-bats reaching base. The dual-threat star had smashed two home runs and reached safely a historic nine times in the Los Angeles' third game comeback win. But on Tuesday, he took the mound on limited rest – his briefest ever – after needing an IV to recover from the previous extra-inning game.

Ohtani pitch speed was under his regular-season norm and he labored more as the contest progressed. Nonetheless, he displayed flashes of his typical command, retiring 11 of 12 after Guerrero's blast and fanning six. He even walked in the first to continue his Fall Classic streak. But the Toronto forced him to labor: six hits and four runs were credited to him in six-plus frames.

Seventh Inning Surge

The bigger problem for Los Angeles was what followed when Ohtani finally lost energy.

Varsho started the seventh inning with a clean hit to right field, and Clement smashed a two-base hit off the fence to put runners on with no outs. Dave Roberts had no option but to remove Ohtani, who departed to a roaring applause from the local fans. The Dodgers' bullpen could not finish the escape.

Banda came into the mess and right away trailed in the count. Giménez fought to a full count before driving in the runner with a base hit to left field. Ty France came up next with a fielder's choice to make it 4-1, and that was sufficient to remove Banda out of the game. Blake Treinen entered next but also failed to stop the rally: Bo Bichette and Barger punched run-scoring singles through the infield, capping a four-run barrage that pushed the lead to 6-1.

Toronto's Resilience

The Toronto's ability to withstand initial setbacks and respond has defined their entire postseason. They once again succeeded without Springer, the hurt leadoff hitter who exited the third game after tweaking his right side.

Shane Bieber, meanwhile, was everything Toronto needed. Traded for mid-season while completing rehab from Tommy John surgery, the former Cy Young winner left multiple runners and silenced the Los Angeles' dangerous lineup. He gave up one run on four hits and three free passes before the manager summoned rookie pitcher Mason Fluharty to face the heart of the order in the sixth inning. He needed just four throws to get out Muncy and Tommy Edman, protecting a narrow lead that soon became comfortable.

Converted starter Bassitt then pitched a scoreless seventh and eighth innings as the Los Angeles' offense continued to struggle. Los Angeles have produced only three runs over their last 20 innings, an sudden downturn for a team that ranked among MLB's elite lineups all year.

Closing Innings

The Dodgers managed a score in the ninth inning when Edman grounded out to bring home Teoscar Hernández after a base on balls and Max Muncy's double put runners on base. But Varland finished the game without permitting a comeback to build.

After a night when Toronto left a World Series-record 19 baserunners and collapsed after repeated of wasted chances, the fourth contest was ruthlessly effective. 6 different Blue Jays collected base hits, five drove in runs and the team cashed almost every run-scoring chance presented in the final innings.

Looking Ahead

The win ensures the World Series trophy will be presented at Rogers Centre, where the Blue Jays have not won a championship since Joe Carter's famous game-winning home run in '93. They now know they are guaranteed a full crowd in Toronto on Friday evening – and perhaps the next day – no matter what occurs next in LA.

Game 5 approaches with the matchup reset and momentum shifting north. Los Angeles left-hander Snell (3-1, 2.42 ERA) will try to arrest the Toronto's momentum. Toronto counter with rookie Yesavage (2-1, 4.26 ERA) in a rematch of Game 1, when the Blue Jays knocked out Snell early in an 11-4 victory.