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Only 24 hours after staggering through one of the most draining defeats in World Series history, the Blue Jays played with total control.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr crushed a two-run home run and Bieber delivered a composed start as the Blue Jays defeated the Los Angeles Dodgers 6-2 in Game 4 on Tuesday evening at Dodger Stadium, tying the Fall Classic at two wins apiece and ensuring the matchup will return to Canada.

The Blue Jays had passed the early hours of the next day dealing with their marathon Game 3 loss – equal to the longest World Series contest ever – a loss that denied them the opportunity to take the lead in the matchup and depleted both bullpens. Manager Schneider stated later that “they took a game, not the World Series”. Twenty-three hours later, his squad provided convincing evidence.

Initial Innings

The Dodgers again scored first. Max Muncy drew a walk in the second, advanced on a single and scored on Hernández's sacrifice fly. But the early breakthrough did not shake a Blue Jays club that topped MLB with 49 comeback victories this season.

They responded immediately in the third. Lukes hit a one away single to center field and Guerrero stepped in looking for a breaking ball. Shohei Ohtani left a slider up and Guerrero drove it screaming over the outfield fence. It was his first extra-base hit of the series and his seventh homer this playoffs – a new club mark – restoring the Toronto's advantage after 13 scoreless frames and changing the momentum of the game.

Shohei's Performance

That hit also halted Ohtani's record-setting streak of 11 consecutive plate appearances reaching base. The two-way phenomenon had smashed two homers and got on base a historic nine times in the Dodgers' third game comeback win. But on that night, he started on short rest – his briefest ever – after requiring an IV to recover from the previous extra-inning game.

Ohtani pitch speed was below his seasonal average and he struggled more as the game progressed. Even so, he displayed flashes of his usual command, setting down 11 of 12 after Guerrero's homer and fanning six. He even drew a walk in the first inning to extend his Fall Classic streak. But the Blue Jays made him work: six hits and four earned runs were credited to him in over six innings.

Seventh Inning Rally

The bigger issue for Los Angeles was what came next when Ohtani finally lost steam.

Daulton Varsho opened the seventh inning with a clean hit to right field, and Ernie Clement smashed a double off the wall to put two on with none out. Roberts had little choice but to pull the starter, who exited to a roaring applause from the home crowd. The Dodgers' relief corps could not complete the escape.

Anthony Banda came into the mess and right away fell behind. Andrés Giménez battled to a full count before scoring the runner with a base hit to left field. France followed with a groundout to make it 4-1, and that was enough to remove the pitcher out of the contest. Treinen came in next but also was unable to stem the momentum: Bo Bichette and Addison Barger punched run-scoring singles through the infield, completing a four-run outburst that extended the margin to 6-1.

Toronto's Resilience

The Toronto's ability to absorb early setbacks and answer has characterized their whole run. They once again succeeded without Springer, the hurt top-of-the-order man who exited the third game after tweaking his oblique.

Bieber, in contrast, was everything Toronto required. Acquired during the summer while completing rehab from Tommy John surgery, the former award-winning winner left multiple baserunners and quieted the Los Angeles' dangerous batting order. He allowed one earned run on four base hits and three free passes before the manager called on first-year left-hander Mason Fluharty to confront the core of the lineup in the sixth. He required just 4 throws to retire Muncy and Tommy Edman, preserving a narrow lead that soon grew safe.

Converted starter Bassitt then worked a scoreless seventh and eighth as the Los Angeles' bats continued to struggle. Los Angeles have produced only three scores over their last 20 frames, an sudden downturn for a team that ranked among baseball's elite lineups all season.

Final Moments

The Dodgers managed a run in the ninth when Tommy Edman grounded out to bring home Teoscar Hernández after a walk and Max Muncy's double put runners aboard. But Louis Varland finished the game without permitting a comeback to build.

After a night when Toronto left a Fall Classic-record 19 baserunners and collapsed after repeated of wasted opportunities, Game 4 was brutally effective. 6 separate Blue Jays recorded base hits, five brought home runs and the squad cashed nearly every scoring chance presented in the final innings.

Next Up

The victory ensures the championship trophy will be presented at their home stadium, where the Toronto have not celebrated a title since Joe Carter's iconic walk-off home run in '93. They now know they are assured a full house in Toronto on Friday night – and possibly Saturday – no matter what happens next in LA.

Game 5 approaches with the series even and momentum swinging north. Los Angeles pitcher Snell (3-1, 2.42 ERA) will try to halt the Blue Jays's momentum. The Blue Jays counter with first-year player Trey Yesavage (2-1, 4.26 ERA) in a repeat of the opener, when the Toronto knocked out the starter quickly in an decisive win.