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Only 24 hours after enduring one of the most draining losses in World Series history, the Toronto Blue Jays displayed total control.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr crushed a two-run home run and Bieber delivered a steady start as the Blue Jays defeated the Los Angeles Dodgers 6-2 in Game 4 on Tuesday evening at Dodger Stadium, tying the World Series at two games each and guaranteeing the matchup will head back to Toronto.

Toronto had passed the morning of Tuesday dealing with their marathon third game defeat – tied for the longest World Series contest ever – a defeat that denied them the opportunity to lead the matchup and depleted both relief corps. Skipper John Schneider stated later that “the Dodgers won a contest, not the championship”. A day later, his squad provided convincing evidence.

Early Action

The Dodgers again struck first. Muncy drew a walk in the second inning, advanced on a single and scored on Kiké Hernández's fly out. But the initial score did not rattle a Toronto club that topped Major League Baseball with 49 comeback wins this year.

They answered right away in the third inning. Nathan Lukes lined a one away single to center field and Vladimir Guerrero Jr came to the plate hunting a curveball. Shohei Ohtani threw a sweeper up and he drove it screaming over the left-center wall. It was his first extra-base hit of the World Series and his 7th homer this playoffs – a fresh club record – restoring the Toronto's advantage after 13 shutout innings and changing the tone of the game.

Shohei's Performance

That hit also ended Ohtani's record-setting run of 11 consecutive at-bats reaching base. The two-way star had smashed two homers and reached safely a historic nine times in the Los Angeles' Game 3 walk-off. But on that night, he took the mound on limited rest – his briefest ever – after needing an IV to recuperate from the previous extra-inning game.

Ohtani pitch speed was under his regular-season norm and he labored more as the contest progressed. Even so, he displayed flashes of his typical command, setting down 11 of 12 after Guerrero's blast and striking out six. He even walked in the first to extend his Fall Classic streak. But the Toronto forced him to labor: six hits and four earned runs were credited to him in over six innings.

Late Game Surge

The bigger issue for the Dodgers was what came next when Ohtani finally lost energy.

Daulton Varsho started the seventh inning with a clean single to right, and Clement smashed a two-base hit off the fence to put two on with no outs. Roberts had little choice but to pull Ohtani, who departed to a standing ovation from the local fans. The Dodgers' relief corps could not complete the inning.

Banda inherited the mess and right away trailed in the count. Giménez fought to a 3-2 count before scoring the runner 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 sufficient to knock the pitcher out of the game. Treinen entered next but also failed to stop the momentum: Bo Bichette and Addison Barger punched RBI singles through the diamond, completing a four-score barrage that pushed the lead to 6-1.

Toronto's Toughness

The Toronto's ability to absorb initial setbacks and answer has defined their whole postseason. They once again did it without Springer, the hurt leadoff hitter who left the third game after straining his right side.

Bieber, in contrast, was exactly what the Blue Jays required. Acquired during the summer while completing rehab from Tommy John surgery, the ex- award-winning winner left several runners and quieted the Los Angeles' dangerous lineup. He gave up one earned run on four base hits and three walks before Schneider called on first-year left-hander Fluharty to face the core of the lineup in the sixth inning. He needed just 4 throws to get out Max Muncy and Tommy Edman, preserving a fragile lead that soon grew comfortable.

Former starter Bassitt then pitched a clean seventh and eighth innings as the Dodgers' offense continued to sputter. Los Angeles have scored only three runs over their last 20 frames, an abrupt slowdown for a club that ranked among MLB's elite lineups all season.

Final Moments

The Dodgers scraped a run in the ninth when Edman hit into an out to score Teoscar Hernández after a walk and Max Muncy's two-base hit put two aboard. But Varland finished the game without permitting a comeback to develop.

After a night when Toronto left a Fall Classic-record 19 runners and collapsed after repeated of missed chances, Game 4 was ruthlessly effective. Six different Toronto players recorded hits, 5 brought home scores and the squad cashed nearly every scoring opportunity presented in the final innings.

Looking Ahead

The win ensures the championship title will be awarded at their home stadium, where the Blue Jays have not celebrated a title since Joe Carter's iconic game-winning home run in 1993. They now are aware they are assured a full crowd in Toronto on Friday night – and possibly Saturday – no matter what occurs next in LA.

The fifth game looms with the series even and momentum shifting to Toronto. Dodgers pitcher Blake Snell (3-1, 2.42 ERA) will attempt to halt the Blue Jays's surge. Toronto respond with first-year player Trey Yesavage (2-1, 4.26 ERA) in a rematch of the opener, when the Blue Jays chased Snell early in an decisive victory.