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

Vladimir Guerrero Jr smashed a two-run home run and Bieber provided a steady start as Toronto defeated the Los Angeles Dodgers 6-2 in Game 4 on Tuesday night at Dodger Stadium, squaring the World Series 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 processing their 18-inning third game defeat – tied for the longest World Series contest ever – a loss that denied them the opportunity to take the lead in the matchup and burned through both bullpens. Skipper Schneider stated afterwards that “they took a game, not the World Series”. Twenty-three hours later, his team offered convincing evidence.

Early Innings

The Los Angeles again scored first. Muncy walked in the second, moved up on a base hit and scored on Kiké Hernández's fly out. But the early breakthrough did not rattle a Toronto club that led Major League Baseball with 49 comeback victories this year.

They answered right away in the third. Nathan Lukes lined a one away single to center field and Guerrero came to the plate looking for a curveball. Ohtani threw a slider up and Guerrero sent it soaring over the outfield fence. It was his first long hit of the World Series and his seventh home run this playoffs – a fresh team mark – regaining the Toronto's lead after 13 shutout frames and changing the tone of the night.

Shohei's Performance

That swing also halted Ohtani's history-making streak of 11 consecutive plate appearances reaching base. The two-way star had smashed two home runs and reached safely a record nine times in the Dodgers' Game 3 comeback win. But on Tuesday, he started on limited rest – his briefest ever – after requiring an IV to recover from the prior marathon.

His pitch speed was below his seasonal average and he labored more as the contest progressed. Nonetheless, he showed flashes of his usual control, setting down 11 of 12 after Guerrero Jr's blast and fanning six. He even drew a walk in the first inning to continue his World Series record. But the Toronto forced him to labor: six hits and four earned runs were charged to him in six-plus innings.

Seventh Inning Surge

The bigger issue for the Dodgers was what came next when Ohtani finally ran out of steam.

Daulton Varsho opened the seventh with a sharp hit to right, and Ernie Clement drilled a two-base hit off the fence to put runners on with no outs. Roberts had little choice but to pull Ohtani, who departed to a roaring applause from the local fans. The Los Angeles' bullpen could not finish the escape.

Banda came into the jam and immediately trailed in the count. Giménez fought to a 3-2 count before scoring Varsho with a base hit to left field. Ty France followed with a fielder's choice to make it 4-1, and that was enough to remove Banda out of the game. Treinen came in next but also failed to stem the momentum: Bichette and Barger hit run-scoring singles through the diamond, completing a four-score barrage that extended the margin to 6-1.

Blue Jays's Toughness

The Blue Jays's capacity to absorb early blows and answer has characterized their entire postseason. They once again succeeded without George Springer, the injured leadoff man who left the third game after straining his right side.

Shane Bieber, meanwhile, was exactly what Toronto needed. Traded for during the summer while finishing recovery from Tommy John surgery, the former Cy Young winner stranded multiple runners and quieted the Los Angeles' potent lineup. He gave up one run on four base hits and three walks before the manager summoned rookie left-hander Mason Fluharty to confront the heart of the lineup in the sixth inning. He required just 4 throws to get out Muncy and Edman, preserving a fragile advantage that soon grew safe.

Former starting pitcher Chris Bassitt then worked a scoreless seventh and eighth as the Dodgers' bats continued to sputter. The Dodgers have scored only 3 scores over their last 20 frames, an abrupt slowdown for a club that was among baseball's elite lineups all season.

Closing Moments

The Dodgers scraped a score in the ninth inning when Edman grounded out to score Teoscar Hernández after a walk and Max Muncy's double put two on base. But Louis Varland closed it down without allowing a rally to develop.

Following a game when the Blue Jays stranded a Fall Classic-record 19 baserunners and fell apart after wave upon wave of missed opportunities, the fourth contest was ruthlessly efficient. 6 different Blue Jays recorded base hits, 5 drove in runs and the squad converted nearly every run-scoring chance presented 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 celebrated a championship since Joe Carter's iconic game-winning home run in '93. They now are aware they are assured a packed house in Canada on Friday evening – and possibly Saturday – no matter what happens next in Los Angeles.

The fifth game looms with the matchup reset and energy shifting to Toronto. Dodgers left-hander Blake Snell (3-1, 2.42 ERA) will try to halt the Toronto's surge. The Blue Jays respond with rookie Yesavage (2-1, 4.26 ERA) in a repeat of the opener, when the Blue Jays chased the starter quickly in an 11-4 victory.