Extraordinary Comeback: Dodgers Stun Rockies in Dramatic Fashion
In a game filled with dramatic swings, the Los Angeles Dodgers pulled off a stunning 11-9 victory over the Colorado Rockies on Tuesday night. The Dodgers, who had lost 1,137 consecutive games when trailing by five or more runs in the ninth inning or later dating back to 1957, finally broke the second-longest active losing streak in such scenarios. Only the Mariners had a longer streak with 1,234 losses without a win under these conditions.
Historic Ninth-Inning Rally
The Dodgers' epic comeback began with Jason Heyward hitting a pinch-hit grand slam off Tyler Kinley. This heroic moment was followed by a three-run homer from Teoscar Hernandez. All of this action occurred in a remarkable seven-run ninth inning. Prior to this game, the Dodgers' all-time record when trailing by five or more runs in the ninth inning or later was a disheartening 6-2,619. The seven runs scored were also the most they had tallied in a ninth inning since 2004 against the San Francisco Giants.
Heyward's grand slam was his fourth career grand slam, and it came after walks by Andy Pages and Miguel Vargas, along with a single by Miguel Rojas. Heyward's fourth homer of the season hit the right-field foul pole, electrifying the fans and igniting the Dodgers' rally.
Key Contributions and Controversial Calls
The Dodgers were trailing 7-2 in the fourth inning, showcasing how steep their climb was. Shohei Ohtani added to the drama by hitting a 476-foot homer in the fifth. Ohtani later singled off pitcher Victor Vodnik (1-1) before Will Smith struck out looking. Freddie Freeman received an intentional walk, marking his sixth walk in the last two games. These moments set the stage for Hernandez's heroics, which ultimately led to the victory.
Hernandez's crucial moment came at a 1-2 fastball, where his half-swing was ruled as not a committed swing by first base umpire Lance Barksdale. This call led to a heated debate, resulting in Colorado manager Bud Black being ejected from the game. Hernandez then hit his 18th home run, making it 11-9, and sealing the Dodgers' first-ever grand slam and a three-run homer in the ninth inning of their 140-year history.
Colorado right fielder Jake Cave was visibly upset with Barksdale's call and expressed his frustration after the game, indicating that he believed the call was incorrect and pivotal to the game's outcome. Rockies second baseman Alan Trejo intervened to calm the situation, stepping between Cave and Barksdale after the inning ended.
Closing the Game
Relief pitcher Evan Phillips managed to get the only batter he faced, Hunter Goodman, out with a runner on second base, securing his 11th save in as many chances. Cave, who was the on-deck hitter, needed to be restrained by bench coach Mike Redmond in the aftermath of the game-ending play.
Rockies' Performance
The Rockies had strong performances from Elehuris Montero and Brenton Doyle, both of whom homered. They scored four runs in the first inning and twice held five-run leads. Doyle also added three singles for his first career four-hit game, scored twice, and made a diving catch of Ohtani's line drive to right-center field with runners on first and second and two outs in the seventh inning. This play helped maintain an 8-4 lead at that time.
Rockies starter Walker Buehler struggled, giving up eight hits and seven runs in four innings. This marked the first time the 29-year-old right-hander allowed more than three earned runs since returning to the rotation on May 6 after missing the 2023 season due to Tommy John surgery. Buehler struck out two and walked one.
Noteworthy Achievements
Andy Pages also homered for the Dodgers, who have now won four of their last five games and boast a 73-32 record against Colorado since 2018. The Rockies, on the other hand, have lost five of their last six games.
Reliever Michael Petersen (1-0) worked two innings and struck out two in his major league debut, adding to the night's memorable performances.
Quotes from the Game
"It was quality at-bats up and down the lineup," said Los Angeles manager Dave Roberts. "Jason was ready when called upon. Teo, he keeps coming up with big hits. That inning, certainly, the results showed the fight, the compete."
"I wasn't sure if it was going to stay fair or not," said Heyward. "It's Colorado, so maybe that helped it straighten out a little bit. I was like, 'Come on, squeak in, squeak in.' I honestly feel like we got rewarded for our process in the ninth."
Hernandez added, "It was close. You can call it either way, and it will be fine. When Jason hit the grand slam, and turning the lineup over to Ohtani, you know something was going to happen. I just wanted to get a good pitch to hit to tie the game. I put a little extra, and it went over the fence. I knew it as soon as I hit. It felt great, especially because it put the team ahead."
"When I'm running in before the last of the ninth," Cave said, "he looked me right in the face and goes, 'Cave, it's not even close.' Everybody in the world could see it was at least close. And he did swing. It's a big game. It's one of the best teams in baseball, and we're battling with them. That game's won on that swing. That's a swing-and-miss, the game's won, and we beat the Los Angeles Dodgers."
Petersen described his major league debut as, "It was crazy. You can't feel anything. It's like your first date; you are tripping over stuff. But awesome."