Narrative Statements:
In a game filled with dramatic swings, the Los Angeles Dodgers achieved an electrifying comeback, defeating the Colorado Rockies 11-9 on Tuesday night. This victory ended a historic losing streak for 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. Remarkably, the Dodgers managed to snap this streak with an unforgettable seven-run ninth inning.
Historical Context
This dramatic victory also marked a significant improvement in the Dodgers' all-time record, bringing it to 6-2,619 in games where they trailed by five or more runs in the ninth inning or later. The seven-run rally in the ninth was their most since 2004, also against the San Francisco Giants.
The game featured a pinch-hit grand slam by Jason Heyward and a three-run homer by Teoscar Hernandez, both pivotal moments that fueled the Dodgers' remarkable comeback.
Heyward and Hernandez Lead the Charge
Heyward's fourth career grand slam came off Rockies' pitcher Tyler Kinley. His game-changing 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, cutting the Rockies' lead significantly.
Following Heyward's grand slam, Teoscar Hernandez added a three-run homer, which put the Dodgers ahead for good. Hernandez's 18th home run was not without controversy, as Rockies manager Bud Black argued with first base umpire Lance Barksdale over a check-swing call. Black was ultimately ejected from the game, and Hernandez soon after made it 11-9 with his decisive homer.
Unprecedented Ninth-Inning Heroics
For the first time in their 140-year history, the Dodgers managed to hit both a grand slam and a three-run homer in the ninth inning. The Rockies faced their own frustrations, evident when Colorado’s right fielder Jake Cave confronted Barksdale, leading to a tense moment that required intervention from bench coach Mike Redmond.
The game came to a dramatic close with Dodgers' relief pitcher Evan Phillips securing his 11th save. He faced only one batter, Hunter Goodman, retiring him with a runner on second to preserve the Dodgers' lead.
Contributions from Both Sides
The Rockies had their standout moments as well. Elehuris Montero and Brenton Doyle each homered, contributing to the Rockies' early leads. Doyle also recorded his first career four-hit game and made a crucial diving catch in the seventh inning to temporarily preserve an 8-4 lead.
However, despite a strong start from Montero and Doyle's contributions, the Rockies could not maintain their lead. Dodgers' starter Walker Buehler struggled, giving up eight hits and seven runs over four innings, his first time allowing more than three earned runs since returning from Tommy John surgery.
Quotes from the Players and Managers
Reflecting on the game, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts praised the team's resilience: "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 commented on his 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 was like, 'Come on, squeak in, squeak in.' I honestly feel like we got rewarded for our process in the ninth."
Hernandez shared his thoughts on his pivotal home run, "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."
On the other side, Jake Cave expressed his frustration with the check-swing call, stating, "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."
Reflecting on his major league debut, reliever Michael Petersen said, "It was crazy. You can't feel anything. It's like your first date; you are tripping over stuff. But awesome."
The Dodgers have now won four of their last five games and continue their dominant record against Colorado, standing at 73-32 since 2018. Conversely, the Rockies have lost five of their last six games, a trend they hope to reverse soon.