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Less than a day after enduring one of the most exhausting defeats in World Series history, the Toronto Blue Jays displayed complete command.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr crushed a two-run home run and Bieber delivered a steady outing as the Blue Jays beat the Dodgers 6-2 in Game 4 on Tuesday evening at Dodger Stadium, squaring the World Series at two wins apiece and guaranteeing the matchup will head back to Canada.

Toronto had passed the morning of the next day dealing with their 18-inning third game defeat – tied for the lengthiest World Series contest ever – a defeat that cost them the chance to lead the matchup and burned through both relief corps. Skipper John Schneider insisted later that “the Dodgers won a contest, not the championship”. Twenty-three hours later, his squad provided convincing evidence.

Initial Action

The Dodgers again scored first. Max Muncy walked in the second, advanced on a base hit and scored on Kiké Hernández's sacrifice fly. But the early breakthrough did not shake a Toronto team that led Major League Baseball with 49 come-from-behind victories this year.

They responded right away in the third. Nathan Lukes hit a one-out base hit to center field and Vladimir Guerrero Jr stepped in hunting a curveball. Shohei Ohtani left a sweeper up and Guerrero drove it soaring over the outfield fence. It was his initial long hit of the World Series and his 7th home run this postseason – a fresh club mark – regaining the Toronto's advantage after 13 shutout innings and shifting the momentum of the game.

Ohtani's Performance

That hit also halted Ohtani's record-setting streak of 11 straight at-bats reaching base. The two-way phenomenon had hit two home runs and reached safely a record nine times in the Los Angeles' third game walk-off. But on that night, he took the mound on limited rest – his briefest ever – after requiring an IV to recuperate from the prior marathon.

Ohtani fastball velocity sat under his seasonal norm and he struggled more as the game progressed. Even so, he displayed glimpses of his typical command, retiring 11 of 12 after Guerrero's blast and fanning six. He even drew a walk in the first inning to continue his Fall Classic streak. But the Blue Jays made him work: six base hits and four runs were charged to him in over six innings.

Late Game Rally

The larger issue for Los Angeles was what followed when he eventually ran out of energy.

Varsho opened the seventh with a sharp hit to right, and Ernie Clement smashed a two-base hit off the fence to put runners on with no outs. Dave Roberts had little choice but to remove the starter, who departed to a roaring applause from the local fans. The Los Angeles' relief corps could not finish the inning.

Banda came into the mess and immediately fell behind. Andrés Giménez battled to a full count before scoring Varsho with a base hit to left field. France followed with a fielder's choice to make it 4-1, and that was sufficient to remove Banda out of the contest. Blake Treinen entered next but also was unable to stem the rally: Bichette and Addison Barger punched run-scoring base hits through the diamond, capping a four-score outburst that extended the margin to 6-1.

Toronto's Toughness

The Toronto's ability to absorb initial setbacks and answer has defined their entire postseason. They once again succeeded without Springer, the injured leadoff hitter who exited Game 3 after straining his oblique.

Bieber, meanwhile, was everything Toronto required. Acquired mid-season while finishing recovery from elbow surgery, the former award-winning winner stranded several runners and quieted the Dodgers' potent batting order. He gave up one run on four hits and three walks before Schneider called on first-year left-hander Fluharty to confront the core of the lineup in the sixth inning. He needed just 4 pitches to get out Max Muncy and Tommy Edman, preserving a fragile advantage that quickly became comfortable.

Converted starter Chris Bassitt then pitched a clean seventh and eighth as the Dodgers' bats kept to sputter. Los Angeles have scored only 3 runs over their previous 20 innings, an abrupt slowdown for a club that ranked among baseball's top offenses all season.

Closing Moments

The Dodgers managed a run in the ninth when Tommy Edman grounded out to bring home Hernández after a walk and Max Muncy's two-base hit put runners on base. But Varland closed it down without allowing a rally to build.

After a night when Toronto stranded a World Series-record 19 baserunners and collapsed after repeated of wasted chances, the fourth contest was ruthlessly effective. 6 different Blue Jays recorded base hits, 5 brought home runs and the team converted almost every run-scoring chance presented in the late innings.

Next Up

The victory ensures the championship title will be awarded at their home stadium, where the Blue Jays have not celebrated a championship since Joe Carter's iconic walk-off homer in '93. They now are aware they are guaranteed a packed house in Toronto on Friday night – and possibly the next day – no matter what occurs next in Los Angeles.

Game 5 approaches with the matchup reset and momentum shifting to Toronto. Los Angeles left-hander Blake Snell (3-1, 2.42 ERA) will try to halt the Blue Jays's surge. Toronto counter with rookie Trey Yesavage (2-1, 4.26 ERA) in a rematch of the opener, when the Blue Jays chased the starter quickly in an decisive win.