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Only 24 hours following staggering through one of the most exhausting losses in World Series history, the Toronto Blue Jays played with total control.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr smashed a two-run homer and Bieber provided a composed start as the Blue Jays beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 6-2 in the fourth game on Tuesday night at their home ballpark, squaring the World Series at two games each and ensuring the series will return to Canada.

The Blue Jays had passed the morning of Tuesday dealing with their 18-inning Game 3 loss – tied for the lengthiest World Series game ever – a loss that denied them the opportunity to lead the series and burned through both bullpens. Skipper John Schneider stated afterwards that “they won a game, not the World Series”. A day later, his squad offered emphatic evidence.

Initial Innings

The Los Angeles again scored first. Muncy walked in the second inning, advanced on a base hit and crossed the plate on Kiké Hernández's fly out. But the early score did not rattle a Toronto team that topped MLB with 49 come-from-behind victories this year.

They responded immediately in the third inning. Nathan Lukes hit a one away base hit to centre and Guerrero came to the plate hunting a curveball. Shohei Ohtani left a sweeper up and Guerrero sent it screaming over the left-center wall. It was his first long hit of the World Series and his seventh home run this postseason – a new team mark – restoring the Blue Jays's lead after 13 shutout innings and changing the momentum of the night.

Ohtani's Performance

That swing also halted Shohei Ohtani's history-making streak of 11 consecutive plate appearances reaching base. The two-way star had hit two homers and got on base a historic nine times in the Los Angeles' Game 3 walk-off. But on Tuesday, he took the mound on short rest – his shortest ever – after requiring an IV to recover from the prior marathon.

Ohtani pitch speed was under his regular-season norm and he struggled more as the contest progressed. Nonetheless, he displayed flashes of his typical command, setting down 11 of 12 after Guerrero's homer and fanning six. He even drew a walk in the first inning to extend his World Series streak. But the Toronto made him work: six base hits and four runs were credited to him in over six innings.

Seventh Inning Rally

The bigger problem for the Dodgers was what followed when he eventually ran out of energy.

Daulton Varsho started the seventh inning with a clean single to right, and Ernie Clement smashed a double off the fence to put two on with no outs. Dave Roberts had no option but to remove the starter, who exited to a standing ovation from the home crowd. The Los Angeles' bullpen could not finish the inning.

Anthony Banda inherited the mess and immediately trailed in the count. Andrés Giménez fought to a full count before scoring Varsho with a base hit to left field. Ty France came up next with a fielder's choice to make it 4-1, and that was enough to remove Banda out of the game. Blake Treinen came in next but also failed to stop the momentum: Bo Bichette and Addison Barger punched run-scoring base hits through the infield, capping a four-run outburst that extended the margin to 6-1.

Toronto's Resilience

The Toronto's ability to withstand early blows and answer has characterized their whole postseason. They once again succeeded without George Springer, the hurt top-of-the-order hitter who left Game 3 after tweaking his right side.

Bieber, meanwhile, was everything the Blue Jays required. Traded for mid-season while completing recovery from Tommy John surgery, the former Cy Young winner left several baserunners and quieted the Los Angeles' dangerous lineup. He gave up one earned run on four base hits and three walks before the manager called on rookie left-hander Mason Fluharty to face the heart of the order in the sixth inning. Fluharty required just 4 throws to get out Muncy and Tommy Edman, protecting a fragile advantage that quickly became safe.

Converted starter Bassitt then worked a clean seventh and eighth as the Los Angeles' offense kept to struggle. Los Angeles have produced only 3 runs over their previous 20 innings, an abrupt slowdown for a club that ranked among MLB's top lineups all season.

Closing Moments

The Los Angeles managed a run in the ninth when Edman hit into an out to bring home Teoscar Hernández after a walk and Muncy's two-base hit put runners on base. But Varland closed it down without allowing a rally to develop.

After a game when Toronto stranded a Fall Classic-record 19 runners and fell apart after repeated of missed chances, the fourth contest was brutally efficient. 6 separate Blue Jays collected base hits, five brought home scores and the team converted nearly every run-scoring opportunity presented in the final stanzas.

Looking Ahead

The win guarantees the championship trophy will be presented at their home stadium, where the Blue Jays have not won a championship since Carter's famous walk-off home run in 1993. They now know they are assured a packed house in Canada on Friday night – and possibly Saturday – no matter what occurs next in Los Angeles.

The fifth game looms with the matchup reset and momentum swinging north. Los Angeles left-hander Blake Snell (3-1, 2.42 ERA) will attempt to arrest the Toronto's surge. The Blue Jays counter with first-year player Yesavage (2-1, 4.26 ERA) in a repeat of the opener, when the Blue Jays knocked out Snell early in an 11-4 victory.