A Historic Evening for the Dodgers: From Despair to Triumph
The Los Angeles Dodgers engineered a thrilling comeback to clinch an electrifying 11-9 victory over the Colorado Rockies on Tuesday night. The game was filled with dramatic shifts, underscoring the unpredictable nature of baseball.
The Ninth Inning Turnaround
Heading into the ninth inning, trailing by five runs, the Dodgers seemed destined for another defeat in such circumstances—a fate they had met 1,137 consecutive times dating back to 1957. In fact, this marked the second-longest active losing streak in scenarios where teams were down by five or more runs in the ninth inning or later. Only the Mariners held a longer streak with 1,234 losses under these conditions.
However, the Dodgers shattered this streak thanks to a seven-run rally in the ninth inning—the most they had scored in a ninth inning since 2004 against the San Francisco Giants. Jason Heyward ignited the comeback with a pinch-hit grand slam, followed by Teoscar Hernandez's three-run homer.
Heyward's Heroics
Jason Heyward's grand slam, his fourth career slam, came off Rockies pitcher Tyler Kinley. The critical moment was set up by walks to Andy Pages and Miguel Vargas and a single by Miguel Rojas. Heyward's fourth homer of the season just managed to graze the right-field foul pole, sending Dodger Stadium into a frenzy.
"It was quality at-bats up and down the lineup," said Los Angeles manager Dave Roberts. "Jason was ready when called upon. Teo keeps coming up with big hits."
Heyward himself was candid about the remarkable sequence of events. "I wasn't sure if it was going to stay fair or not," he said. "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."
The Hernandez Factor
Hernandez’s later blast proved pivotal, securing the Dodgers' first-ever instance in their 140-year history where both a grand slam and a three-run homer were hit in the ninth inning. His 18th home run of the season, coupled with Heyward's grand slam, was enough to rally the team from a seemingly insurmountable deficit.
Hernandez's heroics drew controversy when first base umpire Lance Barksdale ruled that Hernandez did not commit to a swing on a 1-2 fastball. This call triggered outrage from Rockies manager Bud Black, who was subsequently ejected from the game.
"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," Hernandez stated. "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."
Closing the Game
The eventful night culminated in relief pitcher Evan Phillips getting the only batter he faced, Hunter Goodman, out with a runner on second, recording his 11th save in as many chances. However, not everyone took the controversial call lightly. Rockies right fielder Jake Cave attempted to confront Barksdale after the game, but was restrained by bench coach Mike Redmond.
"When I'm running in (before the last of the ninth)," Cave said emotively, "he looked me right in the face and goes, 'Cave, it's not even close.' That game's won on that swing. That's a swing-and-miss; we beat the Los Angeles Dodgers."
Rockies' Performances Go in Vain
Despite the loss, the Rockies saw noteworthy performances from Elehuris Montero and Brenton Doyle. Both hit home runs, with Doyle also adding three singles for his first career four-hit game. His diving catch of a Shohei Ohtani line drive in the seventh inning, preserving an 8-4 lead at the time, was another memorable highlight. Yet these efforts were overshadowed by the Dodgers’ incredible rally.
Dodgers starter Walker Buehler struggled, giving up eight hits and seven runs in four innings. This was his first rough outing since returning from Tommy John surgery earlier in the season. He struck out two and walked one.
Looking Ahead
The victory lifted the Dodgers, improving their record to 6-2,619 when trailing by five or more runs in the ninth inning or later. They have now won four of their last five games and hold a dominant 73-32 record against the Rockies since 2018. Conversely, the Rockies have lost five of their last six games.
Reliever Michael Petersen made his major league debut memorable, working two innings and striking out two to earn his first win.
"It was crazy. You can't feel anything. It's like your first date; you are tripping over stuff. But awesome," Petersen said, summing up the high emotions of an unforgettable night.