In a thrilling game filled with dramatic swings, the Los Angeles Dodgers completed a stunning comeback to secure an electrifying 11-9 victory over the Colorado Rockies on Tuesday night. The game was notable for its historic ending, as the Dodgers overcame a significant deficit to end a long losing streak in similar scenarios.
Historic Victory for the Dodgers
The Dodgers had been trailing by five or more runs in the ninth inning or later in 1,137 consecutive games dating back to 1957. This was the second-longest active losing streak in such conditions, trailing only the Mariners, who have a streak of 1,234 losses. By the end of the night, the Dodgers' all-time record in these situations stood at 6-2,619. The seven runs scored in the ninth inning were the most the Dodgers had tallied in a ninth inning since 2004 against the San Francisco Giants.
Key Moments and Players
Jason Heyward played a pivotal role, hitting a pinch-hit grand slam off Tyler Kinley. The grand slam, Heyward's fourth of his career and fourth homer of the season, followed walks by Andy Pages and Miguel Vargas and a single by Miguel Rojas. Heyward's clutch hit struck the right-field foul pole, turning the tide for the Dodgers.
Teoscar Hernandez also contributed significantly with a three-run homer that added to the seven-run ninth inning. Hernandez's home run was his 18th of the season and provided the Dodgers with the winning margin. The combination of these two decisive hits marked the first time in the Dodgers' 140-year history that the team hit both a grand slam and a three-run homer in the ninth inning.
The Dodgers had been trailing 7-2 in the fourth inning and relied on a mix of resilience and tactical hitting to mount their comeback. Shohei Ohtani had an impressive performance as well, hitting a 476-foot homer in the fifth inning.
Controversial Umpire Call
The game was not without its controversies. In the ninth inning, Hernandez faced a 1-2 fastball and took a half-swing. First base umpire Lance Barksdale ruled that Hernandez did not commit to the swing, prompting an argument from Colorado manager Bud Black, who was subsequently ejected from the game. Hernandez's subsequent home run gave the Dodgers an 11-9 lead, leading to further disputes. After Hernandez's home run, Colorado right fielder Jake Cave stepped toward Barksdale and began yelling, which required Rockies second baseman Alan Trejo to intervene.
Final Moments and Reactions
Relief pitcher Evan Phillips secured the victory by getting the only batter he faced, Hunter Goodman, out with a runner on second. This marked Phillips' 11th save in 11 chances this season. The tension continued even after the game's conclusion, with Cave having to be restrained by bench coach Mike Redmond as he attempted to confront Barksdale.
Elehuris Montero and Brenton Doyle delivered strong performances for the Rockies, each homering to help Colorado establish early five-run leads. Doyle, in particular, had a standout game, recording his first career four-hit game and making a diving catch of Ohtani's line drive to preserve a temporary 8-4 lead.
Pitching Highlights
For the Dodgers, starter Walker Buehler provided a less than stellar performance, giving up eight hits and seven runs in four innings. It was the first time Buehler had allowed more than three earned runs since his return to the rotation on May 6, following Tommy John surgery. Despite his struggles, Buehler managed two strikeouts and walked only one batter. Additionally, Andy Pages contributed with a homer for the Dodgers.
Michael Petersen had a memorable major league debut for the Dodgers, working two innings and striking out two to earn his first win.
Post-Game Quotes
Manager Dave Roberts praised the resilience of his players, 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 remarked on his crucial grand slam, "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 honestly feel like we got rewarded for our process in the ninth."
Hernandez reflected on his decisive home run, saying, "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."
On the controversial swing call, Jake Cave expressed his frustration, "Everybody in the world could see it was at least close. And he did swing. It's a big game. That's a swing-and-miss, the game's won, and we beat the Los Angeles Dodgers."
Petersen, reflecting on his debut, summed up the experience, "It was crazy. You can't feel anything. It's like your first date; you are tripping over stuff. But awesome."
With this victory, the Dodgers have now won four of their last five games and continue their strong performance against Colorado, holding a 73-32 record against the Rockies since 2018. The Rockies, conversely, have lost five of their last six games, struggling to find their footing.