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Less than a day after enduring one of the most draining losses in World Series history, the Toronto Blue Jays displayed total command.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr crushed a two-run homer and Shane Bieber provided a composed start as Toronto defeated the Dodgers 6-2 in the fourth game on Tuesday evening at Dodger Stadium, squaring the World Series at two games each and guaranteeing the matchup will return to Canada.

Toronto had spent the morning of the next day dealing with their 18-inning Game 3 loss – equal to the longest Fall Classic contest ever – a defeat that cost them the opportunity to take the lead in the matchup and depleted both relief corps. Manager Schneider insisted afterwards that “the Dodgers took a game, not the World Series”. Twenty-three hours later, his team offered emphatic proof.

Initial Innings

The Dodgers again struck first. Muncy drew a walk in the second inning, advanced on a single and crossed the plate on Kiké Hernández's fly out. But the initial score did not rattle a Blue Jays club that topped MLB with 49 come-from-behind wins this year.

They responded immediately in the third. Nathan Lukes lined a one-out single to centre and Vladimir Guerrero Jr stepped in hunting a breaking ball. Shohei Ohtani left a sweeper up and he drove it soaring over the outfield fence. It was his first extra-base hit of the series and his 7th homer this playoffs – a fresh club record – regaining the Toronto's lead after 13 shutout frames and changing the momentum of the night.

Shohei's Performance

That swing also ended Shohei Ohtani's record-setting streak of 11 consecutive at-bats reaching base. The dual-threat phenomenon had smashed two home runs and reached safely a historic nine times in the Dodgers' Game 3 comeback win. But on that night, he took the mound on limited rest – his shortest ever – after requiring an IV to recover from the prior extra-inning game.

Ohtani fastball velocity sat under his seasonal norm and he struggled more as the contest progressed. Nonetheless, he displayed flashes of his usual control, setting down 11 of 12 after Guerrero Jr's blast and fanning six. He even walked in the first inning to continue his Fall Classic streak. But the Blue Jays forced him to labor: six base hits and four runs were charged to him in six-plus innings.

Seventh Inning Rally

The bigger problem for the Dodgers was what came next when Ohtani eventually lost energy.

Varsho opened the seventh with a clean hit to right field, and Ernie Clement drilled a two-base hit off the wall to put runners on with none out. Dave Roberts had little choice but to pull the starter, who departed to a standing ovation from the local fans. The Los Angeles' relief corps could not complete the escape.

Anthony Banda inherited the mess and immediately trailed in the count. Andrés Giménez battled to a 3-2 count before driving in the runner with a single to left field. Ty France came up next with a fielder's choice to make it 4-1, and that was sufficient to remove the pitcher out of the contest. Blake Treinen came in next but also was unable to stem the momentum: Bichette and Addison Barger hit run-scoring singles through the diamond, completing a four-run outburst that extended the lead to 6-1.

Toronto's Resilience

The Toronto's ability to withstand early blows and respond has defined their whole run. They once again succeeded without Springer, the hurt leadoff man who exited Game 3 after tweaking his right side.

Shane Bieber, meanwhile, was everything the Blue Jays needed. Acquired during the summer while completing recovery from elbow surgery, the ex- award-winning winner left multiple baserunners and quieted the Los Angeles' potent lineup. He gave up one earned run on four hits and three walks before the manager called on rookie left-hander Fluharty to face the heart of the order in the sixth. Fluharty required just 4 throws to retire Max Muncy and Edman, protecting a narrow advantage that quickly grew comfortable.

Converted starter Chris Bassitt then pitched a clean seventh and eighth as the Dodgers' bats kept to struggle. The Dodgers have scored only 3 runs over their previous 20 innings, an abrupt downturn for a team that ranked among baseball's top offenses all season.

Closing Innings

The Los Angeles managed a run in the ninth inning when Tommy Edman grounded out to bring home Teoscar Hernández after a walk and Max Muncy's double put runners on base. But Louis Varland finished the game without allowing a comeback to develop.

Following a game when the Blue Jays left a World Series-record 19 runners and fell apart after repeated of missed opportunities, Game 4 was brutally effective. Six separate Toronto players collected hits, five drove in scores and the squad cashed almost every run-scoring chance available in the final stanzas.

Looking Ahead

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

Game 5 looms with the series even and energy swinging to Toronto. Los Angeles pitcher Blake Snell (3-1, 2.42 ERA) will try to arrest the Toronto's surge. Toronto respond with first-year player Yesavage (2-1, 4.26 ERA) in a repeat of Game 1, when the Blue Jays knocked out the starter quickly in an decisive win.