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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 complete command.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr crushed a two-run home run and Bieber provided a steady start as Toronto beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 6-2 in Game 4 on Tuesday night at Dodger Stadium, tying the Fall Classic at two games each and ensuring the series will head back to Toronto.

Toronto had spent the early hours of Tuesday dealing with their marathon Game 3 loss – equal to the longest Fall Classic game ever – a defeat that denied them the opportunity to lead the matchup and burned through both relief corps. Skipper Schneider stated afterwards that “they took a game, not the World Series”. Twenty-three hours later, his squad provided convincing evidence.

Early Innings

The Los Angeles again struck first. Muncy walked in the second inning, advanced on a base hit and scored on Kiké Hernández's sacrifice fly. But the initial score did not shake a Toronto club that led MLB with 49 come-from-behind victories this year.

They answered immediately in the third inning. Lukes lined a one-out base hit to center field and Guerrero stepped in looking for a curveball. Ohtani left a slider up and Guerrero sent it soaring over the outfield fence. It was his first long hit of the series and his 7th homer this playoffs – a new club mark – regaining the Blue Jays's lead after 13 scoreless frames and changing the momentum of the game.

Shohei's Night

That hit also halted Shohei Ohtani's history-making streak of 11 consecutive at-bats reaching base. The dual-threat phenomenon had hit two home runs and reached safely a historic nine times in the Los Angeles' third game walk-off. But on Tuesday, he started on short rest – his briefest ever – after requiring an IV to recover from the previous marathon.

Ohtani pitch speed was below his regular-season average and he labored more as the contest progressed. Nonetheless, he showed flashes of his usual control, retiring 11 of 12 after Guerrero's homer and fanning six. He even walked in the first to continue his Fall Classic streak. But the Toronto made him work: six hits and four earned runs were charged to him in six-plus frames.

Seventh Inning Rally

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

Daulton Varsho started the seventh inning with a clean hit to right, and Clement drilled a two-base hit off the wall to put two on with none out. Roberts had little choice but to remove the starter, who departed to a standing ovation from the local fans. The Dodgers' relief corps could not complete the inning.

Banda inherited the mess and immediately trailed in the count. Giménez battled to a full count before scoring Varsho with a base hit to left. France came up next with a fielder's choice to make it 4-1, and that was enough to remove Banda out of the contest. Treinen entered next but also was unable to stop the momentum: Bo Bichette and Addison Barger hit RBI base hits through the infield, completing a four-run barrage that pushed the lead to 6-1.

Toronto's Toughness

The Blue Jays's capacity to absorb early blows and respond has characterized their entire run. They once again succeeded without Springer, the injured top-of-the-order man who exited Game 3 after straining his right side.

Bieber, in contrast, was everything the Blue Jays needed. Acquired mid-season while finishing recovery from elbow surgery, the former Cy Young winner stranded several baserunners and quieted the Dodgers' potent lineup. He gave up one run on four base hits and three free passes before Schneider summoned first-year pitcher Fluharty to confront the heart of the lineup in the sixth. He needed just four throws to get out Max Muncy and Edman, preserving a fragile lead that soon became safe.

Former starter Bassitt then worked a clean seventh and eighth innings as the Dodgers' offense kept to struggle. The Dodgers have produced only 3 scores over their last 20 innings, an sudden downturn for a club that was among baseball's elite lineups all year.

Closing Innings

The Dodgers managed a run in the ninth inning when Edman grounded out to bring home Hernández after a walk and Max Muncy's double put runners on base. But Louis Varland closed it down without permitting a rally to develop.

After a game when Toronto stranded a World Series-record 19 runners and fell apart after wave upon wave of wasted opportunities, Game 4 was ruthlessly effective. 6 separate Toronto players recorded hits, five drove in scores and the squad converted almost every run-scoring opportunity presented in the final innings.

Looking Ahead

The victory ensures the championship trophy will be awarded at their home stadium, where the Toronto have not won a title since Joe Carter's iconic walk-off home run in 1993. They now are aware they are guaranteed a packed house in Toronto on Friday night – and possibly Saturday – no matter what occurs next in Los Angeles.

Game 5 approaches with the matchup even and energy shifting north. Dodgers left-hander Blake Snell (3-1, 2.42 ERA) will try to arrest the Toronto's surge. Toronto respond with first-year player Trey Yesavage (2-1, 4.26 ERA) in a rematch of the opener, when the Blue Jays knocked out Snell early in an 11-4 victory.