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Only 24 hours after enduring one of the most exhausting defeats in Fall Classic history, the Blue Jays played with complete command.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr smashed a two-run home run and Bieber delivered a steady start as the Blue Jays beat the Dodgers 6-2 in the fourth game on Tuesday evening at Dodger Stadium, tying the World Series at two wins apiece and ensuring the matchup will head back to Toronto.

Toronto had passed the morning of the next day dealing with their 18-inning Game 3 loss – equal to the lengthiest Fall Classic game ever – a defeat that cost them the opportunity to lead the matchup and burned through both bullpens. Skipper Schneider insisted afterwards that “they took a contest, not the championship”. A day later, his team offered convincing evidence.

Initial Innings

The Los Angeles again struck first. Max Muncy drew a walk in the second, advanced on a base hit and scored on Hernández's fly out. But the initial breakthrough did not shake a Blue Jays club that led MLB with 49 comeback victories this season.

They responded immediately in the third inning. Nathan Lukes hit a one-out base hit to center field and Guerrero stepped in hunting a curveball. Shohei Ohtani threw a slider up and he sent it soaring over the outfield fence. It was his initial long hit of the series and his seventh homer this playoffs – a fresh team record – regaining the Toronto's advantage after 13 scoreless innings and changing the tone of the night.

Ohtani's Performance

That swing also halted Ohtani's history-making run of 11 consecutive at-bats reaching base. The dual-threat phenomenon had hit two home runs and got on base a record nine times in the Dodgers' third game comeback win. But on Tuesday, he took the mound on limited rest – his briefest ever – after needing an IV to recover from the prior marathon.

His pitch speed was under his regular-season norm and he labored more as the game wore on. Even so, he showed glimpses of his usual command, retiring 11 of 12 after Guerrero's blast and striking out six. He even walked in the first inning to continue his World Series streak. But the Blue Jays made him work: six hits and four runs were credited to him in over six innings.

Seventh Inning Rally

The larger problem for the Dodgers was what followed when Ohtani eventually lost energy.

Daulton Varsho started the seventh with a sharp hit to right field, and Clement smashed a double off the wall to put runners on with no outs. Dave Roberts had little choice but to pull Ohtani, who departed to a roaring applause from the home crowd. The Los Angeles' bullpen could not finish the inning.

Banda inherited the mess and immediately trailed in the count. Andrés Giménez fought to a full count before scoring the runner with a single to left field. Ty France followed with a fielder's choice to make it 4-1, and that was enough to remove Banda out of the game. Treinen came in next but also failed to stem the rally: Bichette and Barger hit RBI singles through the diamond, capping 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 whole run. They once again did it without George Springer, the hurt top-of-the-order man who left Game 3 after tweaking his right side.

Bieber, meanwhile, was exactly what the Blue Jays required. Acquired mid-season while completing recovery from Tommy John surgery, the former Cy Young winner stranded several runners and quieted the Dodgers' potent lineup. He gave up one earned run on four hits and three walks before the manager called on rookie pitcher Mason Fluharty to face the heart of the lineup in the sixth. He required just four pitches to get out Max Muncy and Edman, preserving a narrow advantage that quickly became safe.

Former starting pitcher Bassitt then pitched a clean seventh and eighth as the Los Angeles' bats kept to struggle. The Dodgers have produced only 3 runs over their last 20 innings, an sudden slowdown for a club that was among MLB's elite offenses all season.

Final Moments

The Los Angeles managed a score in the ninth inning when Tommy Edman hit into an out to score Hernández after a walk and Muncy's two-base hit put runners on base. But Louis Varland closed it down without permitting a rally to build.

Following a game when the Blue Jays stranded a Fall Classic-record 19 baserunners and collapsed after wave upon wave of wasted chances, the fourth contest was brutally efficient. 6 different Toronto players recorded base hits, five drove in runs and the squad cashed nearly every scoring chance available in the late innings.

Looking Ahead

The win guarantees the championship title will be awarded at Rogers Centre, where the Toronto have not won a championship since Carter's famous walk-off homer in 1993. They now are aware they are guaranteed a full crowd in Canada on Friday night – and perhaps the next day – no matter what happens next in Los Angeles.

The fifth game approaches with the series even and momentum shifting to Toronto. Dodgers pitcher Blake Snell (3-1, 2.42 ERA) will try to halt the Blue Jays's momentum. The Blue Jays counter with first-year player Yesavage (2-1, 4.26 ERA) in a repeat of Game 1, when the Toronto knocked out the starter quickly in an decisive win.