In a game filled with dramatic swings, Jason Heyward hit a pinch-hit grand slam while Teoscar Hernandez added a three-run homer, all in a seven-run ninth inning. This led to the Los Angeles Dodgers rallying for an electrifying 11-9 victory over the Colorado Rockies on Tuesday night.
Dramatic Comeback Breaks Longstanding Streak
The Dodgers had lost 1,137 consecutive games when trailing by five or more runs in the ninth inning or later, dating back to 1957. This was 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. With this stunning victory, the Dodgers improved their all-time record to 6-2,619 when trailing by five or more runs in the ninth inning or later. The seven runs they scored were also the most in a ninth inning since 2004 against the San Francisco Giants.
Heyward and Hernandez's Heroics
Heyward's fourth career grand slam came off Tyler Kinley. His powerful hit followed walks by Andy Pages and Miguel Vargas, and a single by Miguel Rojas. Heyward's fourth homer of the season hit the right-field foul pole, adding to the excitement of an already tumultuous game. Previously in the fourth inning, the Dodgers had trailed 7-2, digging a deep hole for themselves.
Shohei Ohtani also joined the home run party with a 476-foot blast in the fifth inning. He further contributed with a single off pitcher Victor Vodnik (1-1) before Will Smith struck out looking. Freddie Freeman received an intentional walk—his sixth walk in the last two games—setting the stage for Hernandez's heroics.
Hernandez, in a dramatic turn, took a half-swing at a 1-2 fastball. First base umpire Lance Barksdale ruled that Hernandez did not commit to the swing, a call that incensed Colorado manager Bud Black, leading to his ejection from the game. Hernandez later hit his 18th home run, making the score 11-9. This made history for the Dodgers as it was the first time in their 140-year history that they hit both a grand slam and a three-run homer in the ninth inning.
Escalating Tensions and Final Heroics
After Hernandez's ball cleared the wall, Colorado right fielder Jake Cave angrily stepped toward Barksdale, yelling, while Rockies second baseman Alan Trejo intervened, stepping between Cave and Barksdale after the inning ended. Relief pitcher Evan Phillips then faced Hunter Goodman with a runner on second, dismissing him to record his 11th save in as many chances. Cave, the on-deck hitter, had to be restrained by bench coach Mike Redmond as he attempted to reach Barksdale after the game ended.
Rockies' Early Dominance
Despite the eventual outcome, the Rockies had shown early dominance. Elehuris Montero and Brenton Doyle homered for the Rockies, who scored four runs in the first inning and twice held five-run leads. Doyle 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, preserving an 8-4 lead at the time.
Dodgers starter Walker Buehler gave up eight hits and seven runs in 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. Andy Pages also homered for the Dodgers, who have won four of their last five games and are 73-32 against Colorado since 2018. The Rockies have lost five of their last six games.
Quotes from the Game
Manager Dave Roberts praised his team, 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's reaction captured the electrifying moment: "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."
Cave expressed his frustration over the umpire's call, 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."
Reliever Michael Petersen, who worked two innings and struck out two in his major league debut, captured the essence of the night's chaotic energy: "It was crazy. You can't feel anything. It's like your first date; you are tripping over stuff. But awesome."