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Only 24 hours following staggering through one of the most exhausting losses in Fall Classic history, the Toronto Blue Jays displayed total control.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr smashed a two-run home run and Bieber provided a composed outing as the Blue Jays defeated the Los Angeles Dodgers 6-2 in the fourth game on Tuesday evening at Dodger Stadium, tying the World Series at two games each and ensuring the matchup will return to Toronto.

Toronto had spent the early hours of Tuesday dealing with their 18-inning Game 3 loss – tied for the longest Fall Classic contest ever – a defeat that cost them the opportunity to lead the matchup and depleted both bullpens. Manager John Schneider stated later that “the Dodgers took a contest, not the World Series”. Twenty-three hours later, his squad offered emphatic evidence.

Early Action

The Dodgers again scored first. Muncy walked in the second inning, moved up on a single and crossed the plate on Hernández's fly out. But the initial breakthrough did not rattle a Blue Jays club that topped MLB with 49 comeback victories this season.

They answered immediately in the third inning. Nathan Lukes lined a one away single to centre and Vladimir Guerrero Jr stepped in hunting a curveball. Shohei Ohtani left a slider up and Guerrero drove it soaring over the left-center wall. It was his initial extra-base hit of the series and his 7th home run this playoffs – a fresh club mark – restoring the Blue Jays's advantage after 13 scoreless frames and changing the tone of the game.

Shohei's Performance

That swing also ended Shohei Ohtani's record-setting streak of 11 straight plate appearances getting on base. The dual-threat star had hit two home runs and reached safely a historic nine times in the Dodgers' Game 3 walk-off. 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 was below his seasonal norm and he labored more as the game wore on. Nonetheless, he displayed glimpses of his typical command, retiring 11 of 12 after Guerrero Jr's blast and fanning six. He even drew a walk in the first inning to extend his Fall Classic record. But the Blue Jays made him work: six base hits and four runs were charged to him in over six frames.

Seventh Inning Surge

The larger issue for the Dodgers was what followed when he eventually ran out of energy.

Daulton Varsho opened the seventh inning with a sharp hit to right field, and Ernie Clement drilled a double off the wall to put two on with no outs. Roberts had little choice but to remove the starter, who exited to a standing ovation from the local fans. The Dodgers' relief corps could not finish the escape.

Banda came into the mess and right away fell behind. Giménez fought to a full count before driving in Varsho with a single to left field. France came up next with a fielder's choice to make it 4-1, and that was enough to knock Banda out of the contest. Blake Treinen entered next but also failed to stem the rally: Bo Bichette and Addison Barger hit RBI singles through the diamond, completing a four-run barrage that extended the margin to 6-1.

Toronto's Toughness

The Blue Jays's ability to absorb initial blows and respond has defined their whole postseason. They once again did it without George Springer, the injured top-of-the-order hitter who left the third game after straining his right side.

Bieber, in contrast, was everything Toronto required. Traded for during the summer while finishing recovery from Tommy John surgery, the former Cy Young winner left several baserunners and silenced the Dodgers' potent batting order. He gave up one run on four hits and three free passes before Schneider summoned first-year pitcher Mason Fluharty to face the heart of the lineup in the sixth. He required just four pitches to retire Muncy and Tommy Edman, protecting a fragile advantage that quickly became comfortable.

Converted starter Bassitt then worked a scoreless seventh and eighth innings as the Dodgers' bats continued to sputter. Los Angeles have produced only 3 runs over their last 20 innings, an abrupt slowdown for a team that was among baseball's top lineups all year.

Closing Moments

The Dodgers managed a score in the ninth inning when Tommy Edman grounded out to bring home Hernández after a walk and Max Muncy's double put two on base. But Louis Varland finished the game without permitting a comeback to develop.

After a night when Toronto left a Fall Classic-record 19 baserunners and collapsed after repeated of wasted opportunities, Game 4 was brutally efficient. 6 different Blue Jays collected hits, 5 drove in runs and the team converted almost every scoring chance presented in the final stanzas.

Next Up

The win ensures the championship title will be awarded at Rogers Centre, where the Toronto have not won a championship since Joe Carter's iconic game-winning homer in '93. They now know they are assured a full house in Canada on Friday night – and possibly Saturday – no matter what happens next in Los Angeles.

Game 5 looms with the matchup even and momentum swinging north. Dodgers left-hander Blake Snell (3-1, 2.42 ERA) will try to halt the Toronto's momentum. The Blue Jays respond with first-year player Trey Yesavage (2-1, 4.26 ERA) in a rematch of Game 1, when the Blue Jays knocked out Snell early in an decisive win.