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Less than a day after enduring one of the most exhausting losses in World Series annals, the Toronto Blue Jays played with complete control.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr smashed a two-run homer and Shane Bieber provided a composed outing as Toronto beat the Dodgers 6-2 in the fourth game on Tuesday night at Dodger Stadium, tying the World Series at two games each and ensuring the series will return to Toronto.

Toronto had spent the early hours of Tuesday processing their 18-inning third game defeat – tied for the longest World Series game ever – a defeat that cost them the opportunity to lead the series and depleted both bullpens. Manager Schneider stated later that “they won a game, not the World Series”. A day later, his squad provided emphatic evidence.

Early Action

The Dodgers again scored first. Muncy drew a walk in the second inning, advanced on a single and scored on Kiké Hernández's sacrifice fly. But the early breakthrough did not rattle a Blue Jays club that topped Major League Baseball with 49 come-from-behind wins this year.

They responded immediately in the third inning. Nathan Lukes hit a one away base hit to center field and Guerrero stepped in hunting a curveball. Ohtani left a sweeper up and Guerrero drove it soaring over the left-center wall. It was his initial long hit of the series and his seventh home run this playoffs – a fresh club mark – regaining the Blue Jays's advantage after 13 shutout innings and shifting the momentum of the game.

Ohtani's Night

That hit also ended Shohei Ohtani's history-making streak of 11 straight plate appearances getting on base. The two-way phenomenon had hit two home runs and got on base a historic nine times in the Dodgers' third game walk-off. But on that night, he started on short rest – his briefest ever – after needing an IV to recover from the previous marathon.

Ohtani pitch speed was below his seasonal norm and he labored more as the contest wore on. Nonetheless, he showed glimpses of his typical control, 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 runs were credited to him in over six frames.

Seventh Inning Surge

The bigger problem for Los Angeles was what came next when he eventually lost energy.

Daulton Varsho opened the seventh with a sharp single to right, and Ernie Clement smashed a double off the fence to put runners on with no outs. Dave Roberts had little choice but to remove the starter, who departed to a standing ovation from the local fans. The Los Angeles' bullpen could not complete the escape.

Banda inherited the jam and right away trailed in the count. Giménez fought to a full count before scoring the runner with a single to left field. Ty France came up next with a fielder's choice to make it 4-1, and that was sufficient to remove Banda out of the game. Treinen entered next but also failed to stop the momentum: Bo Bichette and Barger hit RBI base hits through the infield, completing a four-run barrage that extended the margin to 6-1.

Blue Jays's Resilience

The Toronto's ability to withstand initial blows and answer has characterized their entire postseason. They once again did it without Springer, the hurt top-of-the-order hitter who left Game 3 after tweaking his right side.

Shane Bieber, in contrast, was exactly what the Blue Jays required. Traded for during the summer while finishing rehab from Tommy John surgery, the ex- award-winning winner stranded several runners and silenced the Los Angeles' potent lineup. He allowed one earned run on four base hits and three walks before Schneider called on first-year pitcher Mason Fluharty to face the core of the lineup in the sixth inning. Fluharty needed just four pitches to get out Muncy and Tommy Edman, preserving a narrow advantage that quickly grew safe.

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

Closing Moments

The Dodgers managed a run in the ninth inning when Tommy Edman grounded out to score Hernández after a base on balls and Muncy's two-base hit put two on base. But Louis Varland closed it down without permitting a comeback to develop.

After a night when the Blue Jays left a World Series-record 19 baserunners and fell apart after wave upon wave of wasted chances, Game 4 was brutally efficient. 6 different Blue Jays recorded hits, five drove in runs and the team cashed nearly every scoring chance presented in the final stanzas.

Next Up

The win ensures the championship title will be presented at their home stadium, where the Toronto have not celebrated a championship since Carter's iconic game-winning home run in 1993. They now know they are guaranteed a full crowd in Toronto on Friday evening – and possibly the next day – no matter what happens next in Los Angeles.

The fifth game looms with the matchup reset and momentum swinging north. Los Angeles pitcher Blake Snell (3-1, 2.42 ERA) will try to arrest the Blue Jays's surge. 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 chased Snell early in an decisive victory.