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

Vladimir Guerrero Jr smashed a two-run home run and Bieber delivered a composed start as Toronto beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 6-2 in the fourth game on Tuesday night at Dodger Stadium, squaring the Fall Classic at two games each and ensuring the series will head back 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 denied them the chance to lead the series and burned through both relief corps. Manager John Schneider stated later that “the Dodgers took a contest, not the World Series”. A day later, his squad provided emphatic proof.

Initial Innings

The Dodgers again scored first. Max Muncy drew a walk in the second inning, moved up on a single and scored on Hernández's fly out. But the early breakthrough did not shake a Toronto club that led MLB with 49 come-from-behind wins this year.

They responded immediately in the third inning. Nathan Lukes hit a one away single to centre and Vladimir Guerrero Jr came to the plate looking for a curveball. Ohtani left a sweeper up and he sent it screaming over the left-center wall. It was his initial long hit of the series and his seventh homer this playoffs – a fresh team record – regaining the Blue Jays's advantage after 13 shutout frames and changing the momentum of the night.

Shohei's Night

That hit also ended Shohei Ohtani's record-setting streak of 11 consecutive at-bats getting on base. The dual-threat star had hit two home runs and got on base a record nine times in the Los Angeles' third game walk-off. But on that night, he started on short rest – his briefest ever – after needing an IV to recuperate from the previous extra-inning game.

Ohtani pitch speed sat under his seasonal average and he struggled more as the contest wore on. Nonetheless, he displayed glimpses of his typical control, setting down 11 of 12 after Guerrero's blast and fanning six. He even drew a walk in the first inning to extend his World Series record. But the Toronto forced him to labor: six hits and four earned runs were credited to him in six-plus innings.

Seventh Inning Surge

The larger issue for Los Angeles was what came next when Ohtani finally lost energy.

Daulton Varsho started the seventh with a sharp hit to right, and Ernie Clement drilled a two-base hit off the wall to put two on with no outs. Roberts had no option but to pull Ohtani, who departed to a standing ovation from the home crowd. The Los Angeles' relief corps could not complete the escape.

Anthony Banda came into the mess and immediately fell behind. Andrés Giménez fought to a full count before driving in Varsho with a single to left field. Ty France followed with a fielder's choice to make it 4-1, and that was sufficient to remove the pitcher out of the game. Blake Treinen came in next but also failed to stop the rally: Bichette and Barger punched RBI base hits through the diamond, completing a four-score outburst that extended the margin to 6-1.

Blue Jays's Toughness

The Toronto's capacity to withstand early blows and answer has characterized their whole postseason. They once again did it without Springer, the injured top-of-the-order hitter who left the third game after straining his oblique.

Shane Bieber, meanwhile, was everything Toronto needed. Acquired during the summer while finishing recovery from Tommy John surgery, the former award-winning winner stranded several runners and silenced 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 rookie pitcher Fluharty to confront the heart of the lineup in the sixth. Fluharty required just 4 pitches to get out Max Muncy and Tommy Edman, protecting a fragile advantage that quickly became comfortable.

Converted starting pitcher Bassitt then worked a clean seventh and eighth innings as the Dodgers' offense kept to sputter. The Dodgers have produced only 3 scores over their last 20 innings, an sudden slowdown for a team that was among MLB's top offenses all season.

Closing Innings

The Dodgers scraped a run in the ninth when Edman grounded out to score Hernández after a walk and Max Muncy's double put two on base. But Varland closed it down without permitting a comeback to build.

Following a game when Toronto left a World Series-record 19 baserunners and collapsed after repeated of wasted chances, Game 4 was brutally effective. Six different Toronto players recorded hits, 5 brought home runs and the squad converted almost every scoring opportunity presented in the late innings.

Next Up

The win ensures the World Series trophy will be awarded at their home stadium, where the Toronto have not celebrated a title since Joe Carter's famous walk-off home run in '93. They now know they are assured a packed house in Toronto on Friday night – and possibly Saturday – no matter what happens next in LA.

The fifth game looms with the series even and momentum shifting north. Los Angeles left-hander Blake Snell (3-1, 2.42 ERA) will attempt to halt the Blue Jays's surge. Toronto respond with first-year player Yesavage (2-1, 4.26 ERA) in a rematch of the opener, when the Blue Jays chased the starter quickly in an decisive win.