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Only 24 hours after enduring one of the most exhausting losses in Fall Classic annals, the Toronto Blue Jays played with complete command.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr smashed a two-run homer and Shane Bieber provided a composed start as the Blue Jays defeated the Dodgers 6-2 in the fourth game on Tuesday evening at Dodger Stadium, tying the World Series at two wins apiece and guaranteeing the matchup will return to Canada.

Toronto had spent the early hours of Tuesday processing their marathon third game defeat – equal to the longest World Series contest ever – a loss that cost them the chance to take the lead in the matchup and depleted both relief corps. Manager John Schneider insisted later that “the Dodgers took a contest, not the championship”. A day later, his team provided convincing proof.

Early Action

The Los Angeles again scored first. Max Muncy drew a walk in the second inning, advanced on a base hit and scored on Hernández's fly out. But the initial breakthrough did not shake a Blue Jays club that led MLB with 49 comeback victories this year.

They responded immediately in the third. Lukes hit a one-out single to centre and Guerrero stepped in hunting a breaking ball. Ohtani threw a sweeper up and he sent it soaring over the outfield fence. It was his first extra-base hit of the series and his seventh home run this postseason – a fresh team record – regaining the Blue Jays's lead after 13 shutout innings and changing the momentum of the night.

Ohtani's Night

That swing also halted Ohtani's history-making streak of 11 consecutive at-bats getting on base. The two-way star had smashed two homers and got on base a historic nine times in the Los Angeles' third game walk-off. But on Tuesday, he took the mound on limited rest – his shortest ever – after needing an IV to recuperate from the previous marathon.

His pitch speed sat under his regular-season average and he labored more as the game wore on. Even so, he showed glimpses of his usual control, retiring 11 of 12 after Guerrero's blast and fanning six. He even walked in the first inning to extend his World Series streak. But the Toronto forced him to labor: six base hits and four runs were credited to him in six-plus frames.

Late Game Surge

The bigger issue for the Dodgers was what came next when he finally lost steam.

Varsho started the seventh inning with a clean single to right, and Ernie Clement drilled a two-base hit off the fence to put two on with none out. Dave Roberts had no option but to remove the starter, who exited to a standing ovation from the home crowd. The Los Angeles' bullpen could not complete the inning.

Banda came into the jam and immediately fell behind. Giménez fought to a full count before driving in the runner with a base hit to left. France came up next with a fielder's choice to make it 4-1, and that was sufficient to remove the pitcher out of the contest. Blake Treinen entered next but also failed to stem the rally: Bo Bichette and Barger punched run-scoring base hits through the diamond, completing a four-score barrage that pushed the margin to 6-1.

Toronto's Toughness

The Blue Jays's capacity to withstand early blows and answer has characterized their whole postseason. They once again succeeded without Springer, the injured leadoff man who exited the third game after straining his right side.

Bieber, meanwhile, was exactly what Toronto required. Traded for during the summer while completing recovery from Tommy John surgery, the former Cy Young winner left multiple baserunners and quieted the Los Angeles' dangerous lineup. He gave up one earned run on four base hits and three walks before the manager called on rookie pitcher Fluharty to confront the heart of the order in the sixth inning. He required just four pitches to get out Muncy and Tommy Edman, preserving a fragile lead that soon became safe.

Former starting pitcher Bassitt then pitched a clean seventh and eighth as the Los Angeles' bats kept to struggle. The Dodgers have scored only three runs over their last 20 frames, an abrupt slowdown for a team that was among MLB's elite offenses all year.

Closing Innings

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 double put two on base. But Louis Varland closed it down without permitting a comeback to develop.

Following a night when Toronto left a Fall Classic-record 19 runners and fell apart after wave upon wave of missed opportunities, the fourth contest was ruthlessly effective. Six different Blue Jays recorded hits, 5 brought home scores and the squad converted almost every scoring chance presented in the final stanzas.

Next Up

The victory ensures the World Series trophy will be presented at their home stadium, where the Blue Jays have not won a championship since Carter's famous game-winning homer in '93. They now know they are guaranteed a full house in Toronto on Friday evening – and possibly Saturday – no matter what happens next in Los Angeles.

The fifth game looms with the matchup even and energy swinging north. Dodgers left-hander Blake Snell (3-1, 2.42 ERA) will try to arrest the Toronto's surge. The Blue Jays counter with rookie Yesavage (2-1, 4.26 ERA) in a rematch of the opener, when the Toronto knocked out Snell quickly in an decisive win.