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Only 24 hours following staggering through one of the most exhausting losses in World Series history, the Blue Jays played with total control.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr crushed a two-run home run and Shane Bieber provided a steady start as Toronto defeated the Los Angeles Dodgers 6-2 in Game 4 on Tuesday evening at their home ballpark, squaring the World Series at two wins apiece and guaranteeing the matchup will head back to Toronto.

The Blue Jays had passed the early hours of the next day dealing with their 18-inning third game defeat – tied for the lengthiest Fall Classic game ever – a loss that denied them the opportunity to lead the matchup and burned through both relief corps. Manager Schneider insisted afterwards that “they took a game, not the championship”. Twenty-three hours later, his squad offered convincing proof.

Initial Innings

The Los Angeles again scored first. Max Muncy walked in the second, moved up on a base hit and scored on Hernández's fly out. But the initial score did not rattle a Toronto club that led Major League Baseball with 49 comeback victories this year.

They responded immediately in the third. Nathan Lukes hit a one-out base hit to centre and Vladimir Guerrero Jr came to the plate hunting a curveball. Ohtani threw a slider up and Guerrero drove it soaring over the outfield fence. It was his first long hit of the series and his 7th homer this playoffs – a new team mark – restoring the Blue Jays's advantage after 13 scoreless frames and shifting the momentum of the game.

Ohtani's Performance

That hit also ended Shohei Ohtani's record-setting run of 11 consecutive plate appearances reaching base. The dual-threat star had hit two homers and reached safely a record nine times in the Dodgers' third game comeback win. But on Tuesday, he started on short rest – his briefest ever – after needing an IV to recuperate from the previous extra-inning game.

His pitch speed was below his seasonal average and he struggled more as the game wore on. Even so, he displayed flashes of his usual control, setting down 11 of 12 after Guerrero's homer and striking out six. He even drew a walk in the first inning to extend his Fall Classic record. But the Blue Jays forced him to labor: six hits and four earned runs were credited to him in over six innings.

Late Game Rally

The larger problem for Los Angeles was what came next when Ohtani eventually lost steam.

Varsho opened the seventh with a clean hit to right field, and Clement drilled a two-base hit off the wall to put runners on with none out. Roberts had little choice but to pull the starter, who exited to a standing ovation from the home crowd. The Los Angeles' relief corps could not complete the escape.

Anthony Banda came into the jam and immediately fell behind. Andrés Giménez battled to a 3-2 count before scoring Varsho with a single to left field. 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. Treinen came in next but also failed to stem the rally: Bo Bichette and Addison Barger hit run-scoring singles through the infield, completing a four-run barrage that pushed the margin to 6-1.

Toronto's Toughness

The Blue Jays's ability to withstand initial blows and respond has characterized their entire postseason. They once again succeeded without Springer, the injured top-of-the-order hitter who exited the third game after straining his oblique.

Bieber, in contrast, was everything Toronto needed. Traded for mid-season while completing recovery from Tommy John surgery, the former Cy Young winner left multiple baserunners and silenced the Los Angeles' potent lineup. He allowed one run on four hits and three free passes before Schneider called on first-year left-hander Mason Fluharty to face the heart of the order in the sixth inning. He required just four pitches to retire Max Muncy and Edman, protecting a fragile advantage that soon grew comfortable.

Former starter Chris Bassitt then worked a scoreless seventh and eighth innings as the Dodgers' offense kept to struggle. The Dodgers have produced only 3 runs over their previous 20 frames, an sudden slowdown for a club that ranked among baseball's top offenses all year.

Final Innings

The Los Angeles managed a score in the ninth inning when Edman grounded out to score Hernández after a walk and Max Muncy's two-base hit put runners on base. But Varland closed it down without allowing a comeback to develop.

Following a night when the Blue Jays stranded a Fall Classic-record 19 baserunners and collapsed after repeated of missed opportunities, Game 4 was brutally efficient. 6 separate Blue Jays collected base hits, 5 drove in runs and the team cashed almost every scoring chance available in the late innings.

Looking Ahead

The victory ensures the championship title will be awarded at Rogers Centre, where the Toronto have not won a championship since Carter's iconic game-winning home run in '93. They now are aware they are assured a full house in Toronto on Friday night – and possibly the next day – no matter what happens next in Los Angeles.

The fifth game approaches with the matchup even and energy swinging to Toronto. Los Angeles pitcher Snell (3-1, 2.42 ERA) will attempt to arrest the Blue Jays's momentum. The Blue Jays respond with rookie Trey Yesavage (2-1, 4.26 ERA) in a repeat of Game 1, when the Blue Jays knocked out the starter early in an 11-4 victory.