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Only 24 hours after enduring one of the most exhausting losses in World Series annals, the Toronto Blue Jays displayed total command.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr smashed a two-run homer and Shane Bieber delivered a steady start as the Blue Jays beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 6-2 in Game 4 on Tuesday night at Dodger Stadium, squaring the Fall Classic at two games each and ensuring the matchup will head back to Toronto.

The Blue Jays had spent the early hours of the next day dealing with their 18-inning Game 3 loss – tied for the longest World Series game ever – a loss that cost them the opportunity to lead the series and depleted both relief corps. Skipper Schneider insisted later that “the Dodgers took a contest, not the championship”. Twenty-three hours later, his squad provided convincing proof.

Early Innings

The Los Angeles again scored first. Max Muncy drew a walk in the second inning, moved up on a single and scored on Kiké Hernández's fly out. But the early score did not shake a Toronto team that led Major League Baseball with 49 come-from-behind victories this year.

They responded immediately in the third. Lukes lined a one away single to center field and Guerrero stepped in hunting a breaking ball. Ohtani left a slider up and he sent it soaring over the outfield fence. It was his first long hit of the World Series and his 7th homer this postseason – a fresh club record – regaining the Toronto's lead after 13 shutout innings and changing the momentum of the night.

Shohei's Night

That swing also halted Ohtani's history-making streak of 11 straight at-bats reaching base. The two-way star had smashed two homers and got on base a historic nine times in the Dodgers' third game walk-off. But on that night, he started on limited rest – his shortest ever – after needing an IV to recuperate from the previous marathon.

His pitch speed was below his seasonal average and he struggled more as the game wore on. Even so, he displayed flashes of his typical control, setting down 11 of 12 after Guerrero Jr's homer and fanning six. He even drew a walk in the first inning to extend his Fall Classic record. But the Toronto forced him to labor: six hits and four earned runs were charged to him in six-plus frames.

Seventh Inning Rally

The larger problem for Los Angeles was what came next when he eventually ran out of energy.

Varsho opened the seventh with a sharp hit to right field, and Ernie Clement smashed a double off the wall to put two on with none out. Dave Roberts had little choice but to remove Ohtani, who departed to a standing ovation from the home crowd. The Los Angeles' bullpen could not finish the escape.

Anthony Banda came into the jam and immediately trailed in the count. Giménez fought to a full count before driving in the runner with a base hit to left. Ty France followed with a fielder's choice to make it 4-1, and that was enough to knock the pitcher out of the game. Blake Treinen entered next but also failed to stem the rally: Bo Bichette and Barger hit run-scoring singles through the infield, capping a four-run outburst that pushed the margin to 6-1.

Toronto's Resilience

The Blue Jays's ability to withstand initial blows and answer has defined their entire postseason. They once again did it without Springer, the injured leadoff man who exited the third game after tweaking his oblique.

Shane Bieber, in contrast, was exactly what Toronto needed. Traded for during the summer while finishing rehab from Tommy John surgery, the ex- Cy Young winner left multiple runners and silenced the Los Angeles' potent lineup. He allowed one earned run on four base hits and three walks before the manager called on first-year pitcher Fluharty to confront the heart of the lineup in the sixth. He needed just 4 throws to get out Max Muncy and Tommy Edman, protecting a narrow advantage that quickly became safe.

Former starting pitcher Chris Bassitt then pitched a clean seventh and eighth innings as the Los Angeles' offense kept to struggle. The Dodgers have produced only 3 runs over their last 20 frames, an abrupt downturn for a club that was among baseball's elite lineups all season.

Final Moments

The Los Angeles managed a score in the ninth when Edman hit into an out to score Hernández after a walk and Muncy's double put runners on base. But Varland finished the game without permitting a comeback to build.

After a night when the Blue Jays left a Fall Classic-record 19 baserunners and fell apart after repeated of wasted chances, Game 4 was brutally efficient. Six different Blue Jays recorded hits, 5 drove in scores and the squad cashed almost every scoring chance available in the final innings.

Looking Ahead

The victory guarantees the World Series title will be awarded at their home stadium, where the Blue Jays have not won a title since Carter's famous game-winning home run in 1993. They now are aware they are guaranteed a full crowd in Canada on Friday night – and possibly Saturday – no matter what happens next in LA.

The fifth game looms with the series even and momentum swinging north. Los Angeles pitcher Blake Snell (3-1, 2.42 ERA) will attempt to halt the Blue Jays's surge. The Blue Jays respond with first-year player Yesavage (2-1, 4.26 ERA) in a rematch of Game 1, when the Toronto knocked out Snell early in an decisive victory.