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

Vladimir Guerrero Jr smashed a two-run homer and Shane Bieber provided a composed start as the Blue Jays beat the Dodgers 6-2 in Game 4 on Tuesday night at Dodger Stadium, tying the World Series at two wins apiece and ensuring the series will return to Toronto.

Toronto had spent the early hours of Tuesday dealing with their marathon Game 3 loss – tied for the lengthiest World Series game ever – a defeat that cost them the chance to take the lead in the matchup and depleted both relief corps. Skipper Schneider insisted afterwards that “the Dodgers took a game, not the championship”. A day later, his squad offered emphatic evidence.

Initial Innings

The Dodgers 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 Blue Jays club that led MLB with 49 come-from-behind victories this season.

They responded immediately in the third inning. Nathan Lukes lined a one away base hit to center field and Vladimir Guerrero Jr came to the plate hunting a curveball. Ohtani left a sweeper up and he drove it screaming over the left-center wall. It was his first extra-base hit of the series and his 7th home run this playoffs – a fresh team record – regaining the Toronto's advantage after 13 shutout innings and shifting the tone of the game.

Ohtani's Night

That hit also halted Ohtani's record-setting streak of 11 consecutive plate appearances getting on base. The two-way star had hit two home runs and got on base a historic nine times in the Dodgers' third game walk-off. But on that night, he started on limited rest – his shortest ever – after needing an IV to recover from the previous extra-inning game.

His pitch speed sat under his regular-season norm and he struggled more as the contest wore on. Nonetheless, he showed glimpses of his usual control, setting down 11 of 12 after Guerrero's homer and fanning six. He even walked in the first inning to continue his World Series streak. But the Blue Jays forced him to labor: six base hits and four runs were credited to him in six-plus frames.

Seventh Inning Surge

The larger problem for Los Angeles was what followed when he finally ran out of energy.

Varsho opened the seventh with a sharp hit to right, and Clement drilled a double off the wall to put two on with no outs. Roberts had no option but to remove the starter, who departed to a roaring applause from the local fans. The Los Angeles' bullpen could not complete the inning.

Anthony Banda inherited the jam and right away fell behind. Giménez battled to a full count before scoring the runner with a base hit to left. Ty France followed with a groundout to make it 4-1, and that was sufficient to knock the pitcher out of the contest. Treinen came in next but also was unable to stop the momentum: Bo Bichette and Barger punched RBI singles through the diamond, capping a four-run barrage that pushed the lead to 6-1.

Blue Jays's Toughness

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

Bieber, in contrast, was exactly what Toronto required. Traded for mid-season while finishing rehab from elbow surgery, the former Cy Young winner stranded several runners and quieted the Dodgers' potent lineup. He gave up one run on four base hits and three walks before Schneider called on rookie pitcher Mason Fluharty to confront the heart of the order in the sixth inning. He required just 4 pitches to get out Max Muncy and Edman, preserving a fragile lead that soon grew comfortable.

Converted starting pitcher Chris Bassitt then worked a scoreless seventh and eighth as the Los Angeles' bats kept to struggle. Los Angeles have produced only three scores over their last 20 innings, an sudden slowdown for a club that ranked among MLB's top offenses all season.

Final Moments

The Dodgers scraped a run in the ninth when Edman hit into an out to score Teoscar Hernández after a base on balls and Muncy's double put runners on base. But Varland finished the game without allowing a comeback to develop.

Following a game when Toronto left a Fall Classic-record 19 baserunners and collapsed after repeated of wasted chances, Game 4 was ruthlessly effective. 6 different Blue Jays collected base hits, five brought home scores and the team converted almost every run-scoring opportunity presented in the late innings.

Next Up

The win guarantees the championship title will be awarded at Rogers Centre, where the Blue Jays have not won a championship since Joe Carter's iconic game-winning homer in '93. They now are aware they are guaranteed a packed house in Toronto on Friday evening – and perhaps Saturday – no matter what happens next in Los Angeles.

Game 5 looms with the series reset and momentum shifting north. Los Angeles pitcher Snell (3-1, 2.42 ERA) will try to halt the Toronto's surge. Toronto respond with rookie Trey Yesavage (2-1, 4.26 ERA) in a repeat of Game 1, when the Blue Jays chased the starter early in an decisive victory.