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Only 24 hours after enduring one of the most exhausting losses in World Series history, the Blue Jays displayed complete control.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr crushed a two-run homer and Shane Bieber delivered a steady start as Toronto defeated the Dodgers 6-2 in Game 4 on Tuesday night at their home ballpark, squaring the World Series at two games each and ensuring the matchup will return to Toronto.

Toronto had passed the early hours of Tuesday dealing with their 18-inning Game 3 loss – equal to the longest World Series game ever – a defeat that cost them the chance to take the lead in the matchup and burned through both relief corps. Skipper Schneider stated later that “the Dodgers took a game, not the World Series”. A day later, his squad provided convincing evidence.

Early Innings

The Dodgers again scored first. Muncy drew a walk in the second, advanced on a single and crossed the plate on Hernández's fly out. But the early score did not shake a Blue Jays team that topped MLB with 49 come-from-behind victories this season.

They answered immediately in the third inning. Lukes hit a one-out single to center field and Vladimir Guerrero Jr stepped in hunting a curveball. Shohei Ohtani threw a slider up and Guerrero drove it soaring over the outfield fence. It was his initial extra-base hit of the World Series and his seventh home run this playoffs – a new team record – regaining the Blue Jays's advantage after 13 scoreless innings and shifting the tone of the night.

Shohei's Performance

That swing also ended Shohei Ohtani's history-making streak of 11 consecutive at-bats getting on base. The dual-threat phenomenon had hit two homers and reached safely a historic nine times in the Los Angeles' third game walk-off. But on Tuesday, he started on limited rest – his briefest ever – after needing an IV to recover from the previous marathon.

Ohtani fastball velocity sat below his seasonal norm and he labored more as the game progressed. Nonetheless, he showed glimpses of his usual command, retiring 11 of 12 after Guerrero Jr's homer and striking out six. He even walked in the first inning to continue his World Series streak. But the Toronto forced him to labor: six base hits and four runs were credited to him in over six frames.

Seventh Inning Rally

The larger issue for the Dodgers was what followed when Ohtani eventually lost steam.

Daulton Varsho started the seventh with a clean single to right, and Clement drilled a two-base hit off the wall to put two on with no outs. 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 complete the escape.

Anthony Banda inherited the mess and right away fell behind. Giménez battled to a full 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 enough to remove the pitcher out of the contest. Blake Treinen came in next but also failed to stop the momentum: Bichette and Barger hit RBI singles through the infield, completing a four-run barrage that pushed the lead to 6-1.

Toronto's Resilience

The Toronto's ability to absorb initial setbacks and answer has defined their whole postseason. They once again did it without George Springer, the injured top-of-the-order man who left Game 3 after tweaking his right side.

Shane Bieber, in contrast, was everything the Blue Jays required. Acquired during the summer while finishing recovery from Tommy John surgery, the former Cy Young winner left multiple runners and quieted the Dodgers' dangerous batting order. He gave up one run on four hits and three free passes before the manager summoned first-year left-hander Mason Fluharty to face the heart of the order in the sixth. Fluharty required just 4 pitches to get out Muncy and Edman, preserving a narrow lead that soon became comfortable.

Former starting pitcher Chris Bassitt then pitched a clean seventh and eighth innings as the Los Angeles' offense kept to struggle. Los Angeles have produced only three scores over their last 20 frames, an sudden slowdown for a team that was among MLB's elite lineups all season.

Final Moments

The Dodgers managed a run in the ninth when Edman grounded out to bring home Hernández after a base on balls and Max Muncy's double put runners on base. But Varland closed it down without permitting a comeback to build.

After a night when the Blue Jays left a World Series-record 19 runners and fell apart after wave upon wave of wasted chances, Game 4 was brutally effective. 6 separate Blue Jays collected base hits, 5 brought home runs and the squad cashed almost every scoring opportunity available in the final stanzas.

Next Up

The win ensures the championship trophy will be presented at their home stadium, where the Blue Jays have not celebrated a championship since Joe Carter's iconic walk-off homer in 1993. They now are aware they are guaranteed a full house in Canada on Friday evening – and possibly Saturday – no matter what happens next in LA.

The fifth game approaches with the matchup even and energy swinging north. Dodgers left-hander Blake Snell (3-1, 2.42 ERA) will attempt to halt the Blue Jays's momentum. The Blue Jays counter with first-year player Trey Yesavage (2-1, 4.26 ERA) in a repeat of Game 1, when the Blue Jays chased the starter early in an 11-4 victory.