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Only 24 hours after enduring one of the most draining defeats in Fall Classic history, the Toronto Blue Jays played with complete control.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr smashed a two-run homer and Bieber delivered a steady start as Toronto defeated the Dodgers 6-2 in the fourth game on Tuesday evening at Dodger Stadium, tying the Fall Classic at two wins apiece and ensuring the matchup will head back to Toronto.

The Blue Jays had spent the morning of the next day dealing with their 18-inning third game defeat – equal to the lengthiest World Series game ever – a loss that denied them the chance to lead the series and burned through both bullpens. Skipper Schneider insisted later that “the Dodgers took a game, not the World Series”. Twenty-three hours later, his team offered emphatic proof.

Early Action

The Dodgers again scored first. Muncy walked in the second inning, advanced on a single and crossed the plate on Kiké Hernández's fly out. But the early breakthrough did not shake a Toronto club that topped Major League Baseball with 49 comeback wins this year.

They responded immediately in the third inning. Lukes lined a one-out single to center field and Guerrero came to the plate hunting a curveball. Ohtani threw a slider up and he drove it soaring over the left-center wall. It was his initial extra-base hit of the World Series and his 7th homer this postseason – a fresh club mark – restoring the Blue Jays's lead after 13 shutout frames and changing the tone of the game.

Shohei's Night

That hit also ended Ohtani's record-setting run of 11 straight plate appearances reaching base. The two-way star had smashed two homers and reached safely a historic nine times in the Dodgers' third game comeback win. But on Tuesday, he took the mound on short rest – his shortest ever – after requiring an IV to recuperate from the previous extra-inning game.

His fastball velocity sat under his seasonal average and he struggled more as the game wore on. Even so, he displayed flashes of his usual control, retiring 11 of 12 after Guerrero Jr's homer and fanning six. He even drew a walk in the first to extend his Fall Classic streak. But the Blue Jays made him work: six hits and four runs were charged to him in six-plus innings.

Seventh Inning Surge

The bigger problem for the Dodgers was what came next when he eventually lost steam.

Varsho started the seventh with a sharp hit to right field, and Clement drilled a double off the wall to put two on with none out. Dave Roberts had little choice but to remove the starter, who departed to a standing ovation from the local fans. The Los Angeles' bullpen could not finish the inning.

Banda came into the jam and right away trailed in the count. Andrés Giménez battled to a full count before driving in Varsho with a single to left field. France followed with a groundout to make it 4-1, and that was sufficient to knock Banda out of the contest. Blake Treinen entered next but also was unable to stop the rally: Bichette and Barger punched run-scoring base hits through the infield, completing a four-score outburst that extended the margin to 6-1.

Toronto's Resilience

The Toronto's ability to absorb early blows and answer has characterized their whole run. They once again did it without George Springer, the injured leadoff man who exited the third game after straining his right side.

Shane Bieber, in contrast, was exactly what Toronto required. Traded for during the summer while completing recovery from elbow surgery, the ex- award-winning winner stranded several runners and quieted the Dodgers' dangerous lineup. He gave up one run on four hits and three walks before Schneider called on first-year left-hander Fluharty to confront the heart of the order in the sixth. Fluharty needed just 4 throws to get out Max Muncy and Edman, protecting a narrow advantage that soon grew safe.

Converted starter Chris Bassitt then pitched a scoreless seventh and eighth as the Los Angeles' bats continued to sputter. Los Angeles have produced only three runs over their last 20 innings, an abrupt slowdown for a club that ranked among MLB's top lineups all season.

Closing Innings

The Dodgers managed a score in the ninth inning when Tommy Edman grounded out to bring home Hernández after a walk and Muncy's two-base hit put two on base. But Varland closed it down without permitting a rally to develop.

Following a night when the Blue Jays left a World Series-record 19 baserunners and collapsed after repeated of missed chances, Game 4 was ruthlessly efficient. Six different Blue Jays recorded hits, 5 brought home runs and the squad cashed almost every scoring opportunity available in the late stanzas.

Next Up

The win ensures the World Series trophy will be awarded at Rogers Centre, where the Toronto have not celebrated a title since Joe Carter's iconic game-winning home run in 1993. They now are aware they are guaranteed a full crowd in Toronto on Friday evening – and possibly Saturday – no matter what occurs next in Los Angeles.

Game 5 looms with the matchup even and energy shifting north. Dodgers pitcher Snell (3-1, 2.42 ERA) will attempt to arrest the Blue Jays's momentum. Toronto respond with rookie Yesavage (2-1, 4.26 ERA) in a rematch of Game 1, when the Toronto chased the starter quickly in an 11-4 victory.