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Less than a day after staggering through one of the most draining losses in Fall Classic annals, the Blue Jays played with complete control.

Guerrero smashed a two-run home run and Bieber provided a steady outing as the Blue Jays defeated the Dodgers 6-2 in Game 4 on Tuesday evening at their home ballpark, tying the Fall Classic at two wins apiece and ensuring the matchup will head back to Canada.

The Blue Jays had passed the morning of Tuesday processing their 18-inning third game defeat – tied for the longest World Series game ever – a defeat that denied them the opportunity to lead the matchup and burned through both bullpens. Skipper John Schneider insisted afterwards that “the Dodgers won a contest, not the championship”. A day later, his team offered emphatic evidence.

Early Innings

The Dodgers again struck first. Muncy drew a walk in the second, moved up on a base hit and scored on Kiké Hernández's sacrifice fly. But the initial score did not rattle a Blue Jays team that topped MLB with 49 come-from-behind victories this season.

They responded immediately in the third inning. Nathan Lukes lined a one-out single to center field and Guerrero came to the plate hunting a breaking ball. Ohtani left a sweeper up and Guerrero drove it screaming over the left-center wall. It was his initial long hit of the series and his seventh home run this postseason – a fresh team mark – restoring the Blue Jays's lead after 13 shutout innings and changing the momentum of the game.

Shohei's Night

That hit also ended Shohei Ohtani's record-setting run of 11 straight at-bats reaching base. The dual-threat star 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 took the mound on short rest – his shortest ever – after requiring an IV to recover from the previous marathon.

His pitch speed was below his seasonal average and he labored more as the game progressed. Even so, he showed flashes of his usual control, retiring 11 of 12 after Guerrero Jr's blast and striking out six. He even drew a walk in the first to extend his World Series record. But the Blue Jays made him work: six hits and four runs were credited to him in over six frames.

Late Game Surge

The bigger issue for the Dodgers was what followed when Ohtani eventually ran out of steam.

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

Anthony Banda came into the jam and immediately trailed in the count. Giménez fought to a full count before driving in Varsho with a single to left field. 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 came in next but also failed to stem the rally: Bo Bichette and Barger hit RBI base hits through the diamond, completing a four-score barrage that extended the lead to 6-1.

Blue Jays's Toughness

The Blue Jays's capacity to absorb initial setbacks and answer has defined their whole run. They once again succeeded without George Springer, the injured leadoff man who exited Game 3 after tweaking his right side.

Bieber, in contrast, was everything the Blue Jays needed. Traded for mid-season while completing rehab from Tommy John surgery, the ex- award-winning winner stranded several baserunners and quieted the Dodgers' potent batting order. He gave up one run on four hits and three free passes before Schneider summoned rookie left-hander Fluharty to confront the core of the order in the sixth. He needed just 4 pitches to get out Muncy and Tommy Edman, preserving a fragile advantage that quickly grew comfortable.

Former starter Bassitt then pitched a clean seventh and eighth as the Los Angeles' offense continued to struggle. Los Angeles have produced only three scores over their previous 20 frames, an abrupt slowdown for a club that was among MLB's top offenses all year.

Closing Innings

The Dodgers managed a score in the ninth inning when Tommy Edman grounded out to bring home Hernández after a base on balls and Muncy's double put runners on base. But Louis Varland finished the game without allowing a comeback to develop.

Following a game when the Blue Jays stranded a Fall Classic-record 19 runners and collapsed after wave upon wave of missed opportunities, the fourth contest was brutally effective. 6 different Blue Jays collected hits, 5 brought home scores and the squad converted almost every run-scoring opportunity presented in the final innings.

Looking Ahead

The win ensures the World Series trophy will be awarded at Rogers Centre, where the Blue Jays have not won a championship since Joe Carter's iconic game-winning homer in '93. They now are aware they are assured a full house in Canada on Friday night – and possibly Saturday – no matter what occurs next in LA.

The fifth game approaches with the matchup even and momentum swinging north. Dodgers pitcher Snell (3-1, 2.42 ERA) will attempt to halt the Toronto's momentum. The Blue Jays counter with first-year player Trey Yesavage (2-1, 4.26 ERA) in a rematch of the opener, when the Blue Jays knocked out the starter quickly in an decisive win.