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Only 24 hours after staggering through one of the most draining defeats in Fall Classic history, the Toronto Blue Jays played with complete command.

Guerrero crushed a two-run homer and Bieber delivered a composed start as Toronto beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 6-2 in Game 4 on Tuesday night at their home ballpark, tying the Fall Classic at two games each and guaranteeing the series will return to Toronto.

Toronto had passed the morning of Tuesday dealing with their 18-inning third game defeat – tied for the lengthiest World Series game ever – a defeat that cost them the chance to lead the matchup and burned through both relief corps. Skipper Schneider stated afterwards that “the Dodgers took a contest, not the World Series”. Twenty-three hours later, his team offered emphatic proof.

Early Action

The Dodgers again scored first. Max Muncy walked in the second inning, moved up on a single and scored on Kiké Hernández's fly out. But the early breakthrough did not shake a Blue Jays team that led Major League Baseball with 49 comeback victories this season.

They responded immediately in the third inning. Lukes hit a one-out single to centre and Vladimir Guerrero Jr came to the plate looking for a breaking ball. Shohei Ohtani left a sweeper up and he drove it soaring over the outfield fence. It was his first long hit of the World Series and his 7th homer this playoffs – a fresh club record – regaining the Blue Jays's lead after 13 shutout innings and shifting the tone of the night.

Ohtani's Night

That hit also ended Ohtani's history-making streak of 11 straight plate appearances getting on base. The dual-threat phenomenon had smashed two home runs and reached safely a historic nine times in the Dodgers' Game 3 comeback win. But on Tuesday, he took the mound on limited rest – his briefest ever – after requiring an IV to recuperate from the previous extra-inning game.

His pitch speed sat under his regular-season average and he struggled more as the contest wore on. Even so, he showed glimpses of his typical control, retiring 11 of 12 after Guerrero Jr's homer and striking out six. He even drew a walk in the first to continue his Fall Classic record. But the Blue Jays forced him to labor: six hits and four runs were credited to him in six-plus frames.

Seventh Inning Rally

The larger problem for the Dodgers was what came next when he eventually ran out of steam.

Varsho opened the seventh inning with a sharp hit to right, and Ernie Clement drilled a two-base hit off the fence to put two on with no outs. Roberts had little choice but to remove Ohtani, who exited to a standing ovation from the home crowd. The Los Angeles' bullpen could not finish the escape.

Banda inherited the jam and immediately fell behind. Andrés Giménez battled to a full count before scoring Varsho with a single to left. France followed with a groundout 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 stem the rally: Bo Bichette and Addison Barger hit run-scoring singles through the infield, capping a four-score outburst that extended the margin to 6-1.

Blue Jays's Toughness

The Toronto's ability to withstand initial blows and respond has characterized their entire run. They once again succeeded without George Springer, the injured leadoff hitter who left Game 3 after tweaking his right side.

Shane Bieber, in contrast, was everything Toronto needed. Acquired mid-season while completing rehab from Tommy John surgery, the former award-winning winner stranded several baserunners and silenced the Los Angeles' dangerous batting order. He allowed one earned run on four base hits and three walks before Schneider called on first-year left-hander Mason Fluharty to confront the core of the order in the sixth inning. He needed just 4 pitches to retire Max Muncy and Tommy Edman, protecting a narrow advantage that soon became comfortable.

Converted starting pitcher Bassitt then worked a clean seventh and eighth innings as the Dodgers' offense kept to struggle. Los Angeles have produced only 3 runs over their last 20 frames, an sudden downturn for a club that was among MLB's elite offenses all year.

Closing Moments

The Dodgers managed a run in the ninth when Tommy Edman hit into an out to bring home Hernández after a walk and Muncy's two-base hit put runners aboard. But Varland finished the game without allowing a comeback to develop.

Following a night when Toronto left a Fall Classic-record 19 baserunners and collapsed after repeated of missed chances, the fourth contest was brutally efficient. 6 different Toronto players recorded hits, five drove in scores and the team cashed nearly every scoring chance presented in the late stanzas.

Looking Ahead

The victory guarantees the championship title will be presented at their home stadium, where the Toronto have not celebrated a title since Joe Carter's iconic game-winning home run in '93. They now know they are assured a full crowd in Toronto on Friday evening – and perhaps the next day – no matter what happens next in Los Angeles.

Game 5 approaches with the matchup reset and energy swinging north. Dodgers pitcher Blake Snell (3-1, 2.42 ERA) will attempt to halt the Blue Jays's momentum. Toronto respond with rookie Trey Yesavage (2-1, 4.26 ERA) in a rematch of the opener, when the Toronto chased the starter early in an decisive win.