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Only 24 hours following staggering through one of the most exhausting losses in Fall Classic history, the Blue Jays played with complete control.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr crushed a two-run home run and Bieber provided a composed start as Toronto defeated the Los Angeles Dodgers 6-2 in the fourth game on Tuesday night at Dodger Stadium, squaring the World Series at two games each and ensuring the series will return to Toronto.

Toronto had spent the early hours of Tuesday processing their 18-inning third game defeat – equal to the lengthiest Fall Classic game ever – a loss that cost them the opportunity to lead the series and burned through both bullpens. Manager Schneider stated afterwards that “the Dodgers took a game, not the championship”. Twenty-three hours later, his squad provided emphatic proof.

Initial Action

The Los Angeles again scored first. Max Muncy walked in the second inning, advanced on a single and scored on Kiké Hernández's fly out. But the early breakthrough did not rattle a Blue Jays team that led MLB with 49 comeback victories this year.

They responded right away in the third. Lukes lined a one away single to center field and Vladimir Guerrero Jr stepped in hunting a breaking ball. Ohtani threw a slider up and Guerrero sent it soaring over the outfield fence. It was his initial extra-base hit of the series and his 7th homer this postseason – a fresh team mark – regaining the Toronto's advantage after 13 shutout innings and shifting the tone of the night.

Ohtani's Night

That swing also ended Ohtani's record-setting streak of 11 consecutive at-bats reaching base. The two-way phenomenon had hit two homers and got on base a historic nine times in the Dodgers' third game comeback win. But on that night, he took the mound on short rest – his shortest ever – after requiring an IV to recuperate from the prior marathon.

Ohtani fastball velocity was under his regular-season norm and he struggled more as the contest wore on. Even so, he showed glimpses of his typical command, retiring 11 of 12 after Guerrero Jr's blast and striking out six. He even drew a walk in the first to continue his World Series streak. But the Blue Jays forced him to labor: six base hits and four earned runs were charged to him in over six innings.

Seventh Inning Surge

The larger problem for the Dodgers was what followed when Ohtani eventually ran out of steam.

Daulton Varsho started the seventh inning with a clean single to right field, and Clement drilled a two-base hit off the fence to put two on with none out. Dave Roberts had no option but to pull the starter, who departed to a roaring applause from the home crowd. The Los Angeles' bullpen could not complete the inning.

Banda inherited the mess and immediately fell behind. Andrés Giménez fought to a 3-2 count before scoring Varsho with a base hit to left. Ty France followed with a fielder's choice to make it 4-1, and that was sufficient to knock Banda out of the contest. Blake Treinen came in next but also failed to stem the rally: Bichette and Barger hit run-scoring base hits through the infield, completing a four-score barrage that extended the margin to 6-1.

Toronto's Toughness

The Blue Jays's ability to absorb early setbacks and respond has defined their whole run. They once again succeeded without George Springer, the injured top-of-the-order hitter who exited the third game after tweaking his right side.

Bieber, in contrast, was everything Toronto needed. Traded for during the summer while completing recovery from Tommy John surgery, the former Cy Young winner left multiple runners and quieted the Los Angeles' dangerous batting order. He gave up one earned run on four base hits and three free passes before the manager called on first-year left-hander Mason Fluharty to confront the core of the order in the sixth. He needed just four pitches to get out Muncy and Edman, protecting a narrow lead that quickly became comfortable.

Converted starter Chris Bassitt then pitched a scoreless seventh and eighth innings as the Dodgers' bats kept to struggle. The Dodgers have scored only three scores over their previous 20 innings, an sudden slowdown for a club that was among MLB's top lineups all year.

Final Moments

The Los Angeles managed a score in the ninth inning when Tommy Edman hit into an out to score Hernández after a walk and Muncy's double put runners aboard. But Varland closed it down without permitting a rally to develop.

Following a night when the Blue Jays left a World Series-record 19 runners and fell apart after repeated of missed opportunities, Game 4 was brutally effective. 6 different Blue Jays recorded base hits, five brought home runs and the squad converted nearly every run-scoring opportunity available in the final innings.

Next Up

The victory guarantees the championship trophy will be awarded at their home stadium, where the Blue Jays have not won a title since Carter's iconic game-winning home run in '93. They now are aware they are assured a full crowd in Canada on Friday evening – and possibly Saturday – no matter what happens next in LA.

The fifth game looms with the matchup even and energy shifting to Toronto. Los Angeles pitcher Snell (3-1, 2.42 ERA) will try to halt the Toronto's momentum. Toronto respond 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 win.