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Only 24 hours following enduring one of the most exhausting defeats in Fall Classic history, the Blue Jays played with total control.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr smashed a two-run homer and Bieber delivered a steady outing as the Blue Jays beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 6-2 in Game 4 on Tuesday night at their home ballpark, squaring the Fall Classic at two wins apiece and ensuring the series will return to Toronto.

Toronto had passed the early hours of the next day processing their marathon Game 3 loss – equal to the longest Fall Classic game ever – a loss that denied them the opportunity to lead the matchup and burned through both bullpens. Manager Schneider stated afterwards that “the Dodgers took a game, not the World Series”. A day later, his team provided emphatic proof.

Initial Innings

The Los Angeles again scored first. Max Muncy drew a walk in the second, moved up on a base hit and crossed the plate on Hernández's sacrifice fly. But the initial breakthrough did not rattle a Blue Jays team that topped Major League Baseball with 49 come-from-behind wins this year.

They answered immediately in the third inning. Lukes lined a one away base hit to centre and Guerrero came to the plate hunting a breaking ball. Ohtani threw a slider up and Guerrero drove it soaring over the outfield fence. It was his first extra-base hit of the series and his 7th homer this playoffs – a new club mark – restoring the Toronto's lead after 13 scoreless innings and changing the momentum of the night.

Ohtani's Night

That swing also ended Shohei Ohtani's record-setting run of 11 consecutive plate appearances reaching base. The two-way star had hit two home runs and reached safely a historic nine times in the Los Angeles' Game 3 walk-off. But on that night, he started on limited rest – his briefest ever – after requiring an IV to recover from the prior extra-inning game.

His pitch speed sat below his regular-season norm and he struggled more as the contest wore on. Even so, he showed glimpses of his typical control, retiring 11 of 12 after Guerrero Jr's blast and fanning six. He even walked in the first inning to continue his Fall Classic record. But the Toronto forced him to labor: six hits and four runs were credited to him in six-plus frames.

Late Game Surge

The larger problem for the Dodgers was what followed when he eventually ran out of energy.

Varsho started the seventh inning with a sharp hit to right field, and Clement smashed a two-base hit off the wall to put two on with none out. Dave Roberts had no option but to remove Ohtani, who departed to a roaring applause from the home crowd. The Dodgers' bullpen could not finish the inning.

Anthony Banda inherited the mess and immediately trailed in the count. Andrés Giménez fought to a full count before scoring Varsho with a base hit to left field. France followed with a groundout to make it 4-1, and that was enough to remove the pitcher out of the contest. Treinen came in next but also failed to stop the rally: Bo Bichette and Addison Barger hit RBI singles through the diamond, capping a four-run barrage that pushed the lead to 6-1.

Blue Jays's Toughness

The Blue Jays's ability to absorb early setbacks and respond has defined their entire postseason. They once again did it without Springer, the injured leadoff hitter who left the third game after straining his oblique.

Bieber, meanwhile, was exactly what the Blue Jays required. Traded for mid-season while completing rehab from Tommy John surgery, the ex- Cy Young winner left multiple baserunners and silenced the Dodgers' potent batting order. He gave up one earned run on four hits and three free passes before the manager summoned first-year pitcher Fluharty to face the heart of the lineup in the sixth. He required just 4 pitches to retire Max Muncy and Tommy Edman, protecting a narrow lead that soon became safe.

Former starter Chris Bassitt then worked a clean seventh and eighth as the Dodgers' offense continued to sputter. Los Angeles have produced only three runs over their previous 20 innings, an abrupt slowdown for a team that ranked among MLB's elite offenses all year.

Final Moments

The Los Angeles managed a score in the ninth inning when Edman grounded out to score Teoscar Hernández after a walk and Muncy's two-base hit put runners aboard. But Louis Varland closed it down without permitting a comeback to develop.

After a night when the Blue Jays left a Fall Classic-record 19 baserunners and collapsed after repeated of missed opportunities, the fourth contest was ruthlessly efficient. 6 separate Toronto players collected base hits, five brought home scores and the team converted almost every scoring opportunity presented in the late innings.

Looking Ahead

The win ensures the championship trophy will be awarded at their home stadium, where the Blue Jays have not won a title since Carter's iconic walk-off home run in 1993. They now are aware they are guaranteed a full house in Toronto on Friday night – and possibly Saturday – no matter what occurs next in Los Angeles.

Game 5 approaches with the series even and momentum shifting north. Dodgers pitcher Snell (3-1, 2.42 ERA) will attempt to halt the Toronto's momentum. The Blue Jays counter with first-year player Yesavage (2-1, 4.26 ERA) in a rematch of the opener, when the Toronto knocked out Snell quickly in an 11-4 victory.