Narrative Statements:
In a game filled with dramatic swings, the Los Angeles Dodgers achieved an electrifying 11-9 victory over the Colorado Rockies on Tuesday night, thanks to a clutch performance in the ninth inning.
A Historic Rally
Jason Heyward kicked off the astonishing comeback with a pinch-hit grand slam, and Teoscar Hernandez continued the surge with a three-run homer. All of this unfolded in a remarkable seven-run ninth inning that upended the game and defied the Dodgers' long-standing struggles in such scenarios.
Prior to this game, the Dodgers had lost 1,137 consecutive games when trailing by five or more runs in the ninth inning or later, a streak dating back to 1957. This was the second-longest active losing streak under these conditions, with only the Seattle Mariners holding a longer streak (1,234 games).
With this win, the Dodgers improved their all-time record to 6-2,619 when trailing by five or more runs in the ninth inning or later. Their seven runs in the ninth inning were also the most they had scored in such an inning since 2004 against the San Francisco Giants.
Key Moments and Players
Heyward's fourth career grand slam came off Colorado reliever Tyler Kinley. The dramatic blast followed walks by Andy Pages and Miguel Vargas, along with a single by Miguel Rojas. Heyward's homer, his fourth of the season, struck the right-field foul pole, narrowing the Dodgers’ deficit.
The Dodgers had been trailing 7-2 in the fourth inning. Shohei Ohtani attempted to revive the team with a 476-foot homer in the fifth and later singled off pitcher Victor Vodnik (1-1). However, it was Hernandez's heroics that set the stage for the miraculous comeback.
Faced with a 1-2 fastball, Hernandez took a half-swing, and first base umpire Lance Barksdale ruled that Hernandez did not commit to the swing, prompting an ejection of Colorado manager Bud Black for arguing the call. Hernandez then hit his 18th home run, making it 11-9.
Unprecedented Feat
For the first time in their 140-year history, the Dodgers hit both a grand slam and a three-run homer in the ninth inning. After Hernandez's homer cleared the wall, frustration boiled over for the Rockies. Right fielder Jake Cave confronted Barksdale, yelling towards him, and was restrained by bench coach Mike Redmond as he attempted to reach the umpire after the game ended.
Relief pitcher Evan Phillips secured the win by retiring the only batter he faced, Hunter Goodman, with a runner on second, recording his 11th save in as many chances.
Rockies' Performance
Despite the loss, the Rockies had notable performances. Elehuris Montero and Brenton Doyle both homered, contributing to the Rockies' four-run first inning and five-run leads at two different points in the game. Doyle, in particular, shined with three singles, marking his first career four-hit game. He also made a critical diving catch of Ohtani's line drive to right-center field in the seventh inning, temporarily preserving an 8-4 lead.
Rockies starter Walker Buehler gave up eight hits and seven runs over four innings. It was 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.
Dodgers' Momentum
Despite the rocky start to the game, the Dodgers have won four of their last five games and boast a 73-32 record against the Rockies since 2018. Reliever Michael Petersen (1-0) also made a notable debut, pitching two innings and striking out two batters in his major league debut.
Quotes from the Dugout
Los Angeles manager Dave Roberts reflected on the win, saying, "It was quality at-bats up and down the lineup. Jason was ready when called upon. Teo, he keeps coming up with big hits. That inning, certainly, the results showed the fight, the compete."
Heyward shared his excitement, stating, "I wasn't sure if it was going to stay fair or not. 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."
Rockies' Cave voiced his frustration, saying, "When I'm running in before the last of the ninth, 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 reflected on his debut, saying, "It was crazy. You can't feel anything. It's like your first date; you are tripping over stuff. But awesome."