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Less than a day 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 homer and Shane Bieber provided a composed start as the Blue Jays defeated the Los Angeles Dodgers 6-2 in Game 4 on Tuesday night at their home ballpark, squaring the World Series at two games each and guaranteeing the series will return to Toronto.

Toronto had passed the early hours of the next day processing their 18-inning Game 3 loss – tied for the longest Fall Classic game ever – a loss that denied them the chance to take the lead in the matchup and burned through both relief corps. Skipper Schneider insisted later that “the Dodgers won a game, not the championship”. A day later, his squad provided emphatic evidence.

Initial Action

The Los Angeles again struck first. Muncy walked in the second, moved up on a base hit and scored on Hernández's sacrifice fly. But the initial breakthrough did not rattle a Toronto club that topped MLB with 49 come-from-behind victories this year.

They answered right away in the third inning. Lukes lined a one-out base hit to center field and Vladimir Guerrero Jr came to the plate looking for a breaking ball. Ohtani left a sweeper up and he drove it screaming over the left-center wall. It was his first long hit of the series and his 7th home run this playoffs – a new team mark – regaining the Toronto's advantage after 13 scoreless innings and changing the momentum of the night.

Shohei's Night

That hit also halted Shohei Ohtani's record-setting run of 11 straight plate appearances reaching base. The two-way phenomenon had smashed two homers and got on base a historic nine times in the Los Angeles' 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 prior marathon.

Ohtani fastball velocity was below his regular-season norm and he labored more as the contest progressed. Nonetheless, he showed glimpses of his usual control, setting down 11 of 12 after Guerrero's blast and fanning six. He even drew a walk in the first to continue his Fall Classic streak. But the Toronto made him work: six base hits and four earned runs were credited to him in six-plus frames.

Seventh Inning Surge

The larger problem for the Dodgers was what followed when he finally ran out of steam.

Daulton Varsho started the seventh with a clean single to right, and Ernie Clement drilled a double off the fence to put two on with none out. Roberts had little choice but to pull Ohtani, who exited to a standing ovation from the local fans. The Dodgers' relief corps could not finish the inning.

Anthony Banda came into the jam and right away fell behind. Giménez battled to a full count before driving in the runner with a base hit to left. France followed with a groundout to make it 4-1, and that was sufficient to remove Banda out of the game. Treinen entered next but also was unable to stem the momentum: Bichette and Addison Barger hit run-scoring base hits through the diamond, completing a four-score barrage that extended the lead to 6-1.

Toronto's Resilience

The Toronto's capacity to absorb early setbacks and answer has characterized their whole postseason. They once again did it without George Springer, the injured leadoff hitter who left Game 3 after straining his right side.

Shane Bieber, in contrast, was exactly what the Blue Jays required. Acquired mid-season while completing rehab from elbow surgery, the former Cy Young winner left several baserunners and quieted the Los Angeles' dangerous batting order. He gave up one earned run on four hits and three walks before the manager summoned rookie pitcher Mason Fluharty to face the heart of the order in the sixth inning. Fluharty needed just four pitches to get out Max Muncy and Edman, protecting a narrow lead that soon became safe.

Former starting pitcher Bassitt then worked a clean seventh and eighth as the Los Angeles' bats kept to sputter. Los Angeles have scored only 3 scores over their previous 20 frames, an sudden slowdown for a team that ranked among baseball's elite offenses all year.

Closing Innings

The Los Angeles managed a score in the ninth when Edman hit into an out to bring home Hernández after a base on balls and Muncy's two-base hit put two on base. But Louis Varland finished the game without allowing a rally to build.

Following a game when the Blue Jays stranded a Fall Classic-record 19 runners and collapsed after repeated of missed opportunities, the fourth contest was ruthlessly efficient. 6 separate Toronto players recorded base hits, 5 brought home scores and the squad converted almost every scoring opportunity presented in the final innings.

Looking Ahead

The victory ensures the championship title will be awarded at their home stadium, where the Toronto have not celebrated a title since Carter's famous walk-off home run in '93. They now are aware they are assured a packed crowd in Toronto on Friday night – and perhaps Saturday – no matter what happens next in Los Angeles.

Game 5 approaches with the matchup even and momentum swinging to Toronto. Los Angeles left-hander Snell (3-1, 2.42 ERA) will attempt to halt the Toronto's momentum. The Blue Jays counter with rookie Trey Yesavage (2-1, 4.26 ERA) in a repeat of Game 1, when the Blue Jays knocked out Snell quickly in an decisive victory.