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Less than a day after staggering through one of the most draining losses in World Series history, the Toronto Blue Jays displayed total control.

Guerrero smashed a two-run homer and Bieber delivered a composed start as Toronto defeated the Dodgers 6-2 in Game 4 on Tuesday night at Dodger Stadium, squaring the World Series at two games each and guaranteeing the matchup will head back to Toronto.

Toronto had passed the morning of the next day processing their marathon Game 3 loss – equal to the longest Fall Classic game ever – a defeat that cost them the opportunity to lead the matchup and depleted both relief corps. Skipper John Schneider stated later that “they won a contest, not the World Series”. Twenty-three hours later, his squad offered convincing proof.

Initial Action

The Los Angeles again scored first. Max Muncy walked in the second inning, moved up on a base hit and crossed the plate on Hernández's fly out. But the early score did not shake a Toronto team that led Major League Baseball with 49 comeback wins this season.

They responded right away in the third inning. Nathan Lukes lined a one-out base hit to centre and Guerrero came to the plate looking for a curveball. Ohtani left a sweeper up and Guerrero sent it screaming over the outfield fence. It was his first extra-base hit of the World Series and his seventh home run this postseason – a fresh club mark – restoring the Blue Jays's lead after 13 shutout innings and changing the tone of the night.

Ohtani's Night

That hit also ended Ohtani's record-setting run of 11 consecutive at-bats getting on base. The two-way phenomenon had smashed two home runs and reached safely a record nine times in the Dodgers' third game comeback win. But on Tuesday, he started on short rest – his shortest ever – after requiring an IV to recuperate from the previous extra-inning game.

His fastball velocity was under his regular-season norm and he labored more as the game progressed. Nonetheless, he displayed flashes of his typical command, retiring 11 of 12 after Guerrero Jr's homer and striking out six. He even walked in the first inning to extend his World Series streak. But the Toronto made him work: six hits and four earned runs were charged to him in six-plus innings.

Seventh Inning Rally

The bigger issue for the Dodgers was what came next when he finally ran out of steam.

Daulton Varsho started the seventh inning with a clean hit to right, and Ernie Clement drilled a two-base hit off the fence to put runners on with no outs. Dave Roberts had little choice but to remove Ohtani, who exited to a standing ovation from the home crowd. The Dodgers' bullpen could not complete the escape.

Anthony Banda came into the jam and right away fell behind. Andrés Giménez battled to a 3-2 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 the pitcher out of the contest. Blake Treinen came in next but also failed to stop the momentum: Bo Bichette and Addison Barger hit RBI singles through the diamond, completing a four-score barrage that extended the lead to 6-1.

Blue Jays's Resilience

The Blue Jays's capacity to absorb initial blows and answer has characterized their entire run. They once again did it without George Springer, the hurt leadoff hitter who left Game 3 after straining his oblique.

Bieber, in contrast, was exactly what Toronto needed. Acquired mid-season while completing rehab from elbow surgery, the ex- Cy Young winner stranded multiple runners and silenced the Los Angeles' dangerous batting order. He gave up one earned run on four base hits and three walks before the manager summoned rookie pitcher Fluharty to face the heart of the lineup in the sixth inning. He needed just 4 pitches to get out Max Muncy and Edman, protecting a fragile advantage that soon grew safe.

Converted starter Bassitt then worked a scoreless seventh and eighth innings as the Los Angeles' offense kept to sputter. Los Angeles have produced only three scores over their last 20 frames, an abrupt downturn for a team that ranked among MLB's elite lineups all year.

Final Innings

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

After a night when Toronto stranded a World Series-record 19 baserunners and collapsed after repeated of missed opportunities, Game 4 was brutally efficient. Six different Blue Jays collected base hits, 5 drove in scores and the team cashed nearly every run-scoring opportunity available in the final stanzas.

Next Up

The victory ensures the World Series title will be presented at Rogers Centre, where the Blue Jays have not won a title since Carter's iconic walk-off home run in 1993. They now are aware they are assured a full house in Toronto on Friday night – and perhaps the next day – no matter what occurs next in Los Angeles.

Game 5 approaches with the series even and energy shifting north. Los Angeles left-hander Blake Snell (3-1, 2.42 ERA) will try to halt the Toronto's momentum. Toronto counter with rookie Trey Yesavage (2-1, 4.26 ERA) in a rematch of Game 1, when the Toronto chased Snell early in an decisive win.