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Less than a day following staggering through one of the most exhausting losses in World Series history, the Blue Jays displayed total command.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr smashed a two-run homer and Shane Bieber provided a steady outing as the Blue Jays beat the Dodgers 6-2 in Game 4 on Tuesday night at their home ballpark, squaring the Fall Classic at two games each and ensuring the matchup will head back to Toronto.

The Blue Jays had spent the early hours of the next day dealing with their 18-inning third game defeat – tied for the lengthiest World Series game ever – a defeat that cost them the chance to lead the series and burned through both relief corps. Manager Schneider insisted later that “they won a contest, not the championship”. A day later, his squad offered emphatic proof.

Early Innings

The Los Angeles again scored first. Muncy walked in the second, advanced on a single and crossed the plate on Kiké Hernández's sacrifice fly. But the initial score did not rattle a Toronto club that led MLB with 49 comeback wins this season.

They answered immediately in the third inning. Nathan Lukes hit a one-out single to centre and Guerrero stepped in looking for a breaking ball. Shohei Ohtani threw a slider up and he sent it screaming over the outfield fence. It was his first extra-base hit of the series and his 7th homer this playoffs – a fresh club mark – restoring the Blue Jays's lead after 13 shutout frames and shifting the momentum of the night.

Ohtani's Night

That swing also halted Shohei Ohtani's record-setting streak of 11 straight 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' Game 3 comeback win. But on that night, he started on short rest – his shortest ever – after needing an IV to recuperate from the prior marathon.

His pitch speed sat below his regular-season norm and he struggled more as the game progressed. Nonetheless, he displayed glimpses of his usual command, retiring 11 of 12 after Guerrero's blast and fanning six. He even drew a walk in the first inning to extend his World Series record. But the Blue Jays forced him to labor: six base hits and four runs were credited to him in six-plus frames.

Seventh Inning Rally

The bigger issue for the Dodgers was what came next when he finally lost steam.

Varsho opened the seventh inning with a sharp hit to right field, and Ernie Clement drilled a double off the fence to put runners on with none out. Roberts had little choice but to pull Ohtani, who exited to a roaring applause from the local fans. The Los Angeles' relief corps could not complete the escape.

Anthony Banda came into the jam and immediately fell behind. Andrés Giménez fought to a full count before driving in the runner with a base hit to left. Ty France came up next with a groundout to make it 4-1, and that was sufficient to knock Banda out of the contest. Blake Treinen came in next but also failed to stem the rally: Bo Bichette and Addison Barger punched run-scoring base hits through the diamond, capping a four-score barrage that pushed the lead to 6-1.

Blue Jays's Toughness

The Blue Jays's ability to absorb initial blows and respond has defined their entire postseason. They once again succeeded without George Springer, the hurt leadoff man who left Game 3 after straining his right side.

Bieber, in contrast, was everything the Blue Jays needed. Acquired mid-season while completing recovery from elbow surgery, the former award-winning winner left multiple runners and quieted the Los Angeles' dangerous lineup. He gave up one earned run on four hits and three walks before the manager summoned first-year pitcher Mason Fluharty to face the core of the order in the sixth. He needed just four throws to retire Muncy and Edman, preserving a fragile advantage that soon grew comfortable.

Converted starting pitcher Bassitt then pitched a scoreless seventh and eighth as the Los Angeles' offense continued to sputter. Los Angeles have scored only 3 scores over their last 20 frames, an abrupt slowdown for a club that ranked among baseball's elite lineups all year.

Final Innings

The Los Angeles managed a score in the ninth inning when Edman grounded out to bring home Hernández after a walk and Max Muncy's double put runners aboard. But Louis Varland closed it down without allowing a rally to build.

Following a night when Toronto stranded a World Series-record 19 runners and collapsed after wave upon wave of wasted chances, Game 4 was ruthlessly efficient. 6 separate Blue Jays collected hits, 5 drove in runs and the squad cashed almost every scoring chance presented in the late innings.

Looking Ahead

The victory guarantees the championship title will be presented at Rogers Centre, where the Blue Jays have not celebrated a championship since Carter's famous walk-off home run in 1993. They now know they are assured a full house in Toronto on Friday evening – and perhaps the next day – no matter what occurs next in LA.

Game 5 looms with the matchup reset and momentum shifting north. Los Angeles left-hander Blake Snell (3-1, 2.42 ERA) will attempt to halt the Blue Jays's momentum. The Blue Jays counter with rookie Yesavage (2-1, 4.26 ERA) in a rematch of Game 1, when the Toronto knocked out the starter quickly in an 11-4 victory.