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

Guerrero smashed a two-run home run and Bieber delivered a composed outing as Toronto defeated the Dodgers 6-2 in Game 4 on Tuesday night at their home ballpark, squaring the World Series at two wins apiece and guaranteeing the series will return to Canada.

The Blue Jays had passed the morning of Tuesday dealing with their 18-inning Game 3 loss – equal to the longest World Series contest ever – a defeat that cost them the opportunity to lead the matchup and depleted both bullpens. Skipper John Schneider stated afterwards that “they won a game, not the championship”. A day later, his squad offered emphatic evidence.

Initial Innings

The Dodgers again struck first. Max Muncy drew a walk in the second, advanced on a single and crossed the plate on Hernández's sacrifice fly. But the initial breakthrough did not rattle a Blue Jays team that topped MLB with 49 comeback wins this year.

They responded immediately in the third inning. Lukes hit a one away base hit to centre and Guerrero stepped in hunting a breaking ball. Shohei Ohtani left a sweeper up and he drove it soaring over the outfield fence. It was his initial long hit of the series and his seventh home run this postseason – a fresh team record – restoring the Toronto's lead after 13 shutout frames and shifting the tone of the night.

Ohtani's Night

That hit also ended Shohei Ohtani's history-making run of 11 straight at-bats getting on base. The two-way phenomenon had hit two home runs and got on base a record nine times in the Dodgers' third game comeback win. But on Tuesday, 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 game wore on. Nonetheless, he showed flashes of his typical control, setting down 11 of 12 after Guerrero Jr's blast and striking out six. He even walked in the first inning to extend his Fall Classic streak. But the Toronto made him work: six base hits and four earned runs were charged to him in over six innings.

Seventh Inning Rally

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

Daulton Varsho opened the seventh with a sharp single to right, and Clement smashed a two-base hit off the wall to put runners on with no outs. Dave Roberts had no option but to remove Ohtani, who exited to a roaring applause from the home crowd. The Los Angeles' relief corps could not complete the escape.

Banda inherited the jam and immediately fell behind. Giménez battled to a full count before driving in Varsho with a single to left. France came up next with a fielder's choice to make it 4-1, and that was enough to remove the pitcher out of the game. Treinen came in next but also failed to stop the momentum: Bo Bichette and Addison Barger punched run-scoring singles through the diamond, completing a four-score outburst that pushed the margin to 6-1.

Toronto's Toughness

The Toronto's ability to absorb early setbacks and respond has defined their whole postseason. They once again did it without George Springer, the injured top-of-the-order hitter who left Game 3 after straining his right side.

Shane Bieber, in contrast, was everything the Blue Jays needed. Traded for during the summer while finishing recovery from Tommy John surgery, the ex- award-winning winner stranded several runners and silenced the Los Angeles' dangerous batting order. He allowed one run on four hits and three walks before Schneider summoned first-year pitcher Mason Fluharty to face the core of the order in the sixth. He needed just 4 pitches to retire Max Muncy and Tommy Edman, protecting a fragile advantage that quickly grew safe.

Former starting pitcher Chris Bassitt then worked a scoreless seventh and eighth as the Los Angeles' bats kept to sputter. Los Angeles have scored only 3 runs over their last 20 innings, an sudden slowdown for a team that ranked among baseball's elite offenses all season.

Final Moments

The Dodgers managed a run in the ninth inning when Edman grounded out to score Teoscar Hernández after a base on balls and Max Muncy's two-base hit put runners aboard. But Varland closed it down without allowing a comeback to develop.

After a night when the Blue Jays stranded a Fall Classic-record 19 baserunners and collapsed after repeated of missed opportunities, Game 4 was brutally efficient. Six different Blue Jays recorded base hits, five brought home runs and the team converted almost every run-scoring opportunity available in the late stanzas.

Next Up

The win ensures the championship title will be presented at their home stadium, where the Toronto have not celebrated a championship since Carter's iconic game-winning home run in 1993. They now are aware they are assured a packed house in Toronto on Friday evening – and possibly the next day – no matter what occurs next in Los Angeles.

Game 5 looms with the matchup reset and momentum shifting to Toronto. Los Angeles pitcher Blake Snell (3-1, 2.42 ERA) will attempt to arrest the Blue Jays's momentum. The Blue Jays counter with first-year player Yesavage (2-1, 4.26 ERA) in a rematch of Game 1, when the Toronto knocked out Snell quickly in an 11-4 victory.