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Only 24 hours after staggering through one of the most exhausting defeats in Fall Classic annals, the Toronto Blue Jays displayed complete control.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr smashed a two-run homer and Shane Bieber delivered a steady outing as Toronto beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 6-2 in the fourth game on Tuesday evening at their home ballpark, squaring the Fall Classic at two games each and ensuring the series will head back to Toronto.

The Blue Jays had spent the morning of the next day processing their 18-inning Game 3 loss – tied for the longest World Series contest ever – a defeat that denied them the opportunity to lead the matchup and burned through both bullpens. Skipper Schneider insisted afterwards that “they took a game, not the World Series”. Twenty-three hours later, his squad provided emphatic proof.

Initial Action

The Dodgers again scored first. Max Muncy drew a walk in the second, advanced on a base hit and crossed the plate on Kiké Hernández's fly out. But the early breakthrough did not rattle a Blue Jays club that led Major League Baseball with 49 come-from-behind wins this season.

They responded immediately in the third inning. Lukes hit a one-out base hit to centre and Vladimir Guerrero Jr came to the plate hunting a breaking ball. Ohtani threw a sweeper up and Guerrero sent it screaming over the left-center wall. It was his initial extra-base hit of the World Series and his seventh home run this postseason – a fresh club mark – regaining the Blue Jays's lead after 13 scoreless innings and shifting the momentum of the game.

Shohei's Night

That swing also halted Ohtani's record-setting run of 11 straight plate appearances reaching base. The dual-threat phenomenon had hit two homers and got on base a record nine times in the Dodgers' third game walk-off. But on that night, he started on short rest – his shortest ever – after requiring an IV to recuperate from the prior marathon.

His fastball velocity was under his regular-season norm and he labored more as the game wore on. Nonetheless, he showed flashes of his usual control, retiring 11 of 12 after Guerrero's blast and striking out six. He even drew a walk in the first inning to extend his Fall Classic record. But the Toronto made him work: six hits and four runs were charged to him in six-plus frames.

Seventh Inning Rally

The bigger problem for the Dodgers was what followed when Ohtani finally ran out of energy.

Varsho started the seventh with a sharp hit to right field, and Ernie Clement drilled a two-base hit off the wall to put two on with none out. Dave Roberts had little choice but to remove Ohtani, who exited to a standing ovation from the home crowd. The Los Angeles' bullpen could not finish the inning.

Anthony Banda inherited the mess and immediately fell behind. Andrés Giménez fought to a 3-2 count before scoring the runner with a single to left. France followed with a fielder's choice to make it 4-1, and that was enough to knock the pitcher out of the game. Blake Treinen came in next but also was unable to stop the rally: Bo Bichette and Addison Barger punched RBI base hits through the infield, capping a four-score barrage that pushed the margin to 6-1.

Toronto's Toughness

The Toronto's capacity to withstand early setbacks and answer has defined their entire run. They once again did it without Springer, the hurt leadoff man who left the third game after tweaking his oblique.

Shane Bieber, in contrast, was exactly what the Blue Jays needed. Acquired mid-season while completing recovery from Tommy John surgery, the former award-winning winner stranded multiple baserunners and quieted the Los Angeles' dangerous batting order. He allowed one run on four hits and three walks before Schneider called on rookie left-hander Mason Fluharty to face the heart of the order in the sixth. Fluharty needed just 4 throws to retire Max Muncy and Tommy Edman, preserving a fragile advantage that soon became safe.

Converted starting pitcher Bassitt then worked a clean seventh and eighth innings as the Los Angeles' offense kept to struggle. The Dodgers have produced only 3 runs over their previous 20 innings, an abrupt downturn for a club that ranked among baseball's top offenses all year.

Closing Moments

The Dodgers managed a score in the ninth when Edman hit into an out to bring home Teoscar Hernández after a base on balls and Muncy's double put runners on base. But Louis Varland closed it down without allowing a rally to build.

After a night when the Blue Jays left a Fall Classic-record 19 baserunners and fell apart after repeated of wasted opportunities, Game 4 was brutally efficient. 6 separate Toronto players recorded hits, five drove in scores and the team cashed almost every run-scoring chance available in the final innings.

Looking Ahead

The victory guarantees the championship title will be presented at their home stadium, where the Toronto have not celebrated a title since Joe Carter's famous game-winning homer in '93. 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.

The fifth game looms with the matchup even and energy swinging north. Los Angeles pitcher Snell (3-1, 2.42 ERA) will attempt to arrest the Blue Jays's momentum. The Blue Jays respond with first-year player Trey Yesavage (2-1, 4.26 ERA) in a repeat of Game 1, when the Blue Jays knocked out Snell quickly in an 11-4 win.