Narrative Statements:
In a game filled with dramatic swings, Jason Heyward hit a pinch-hit grand slam, and Teoscar Hernandez added a three-run homer — all in a thrilling seven-run ninth inning. The Los Angeles Dodgers rallied for an electrifying 11-9 victory over the Colorado Rockies on Tuesday night, ending one of the longest losing streaks in Major League Baseball under specific conditions.
Dramatic Ninth-Inning Comeback
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 in such scenarios; only the Seattle Mariners had a longer streak, with 1,234 losses without a win under these conditions. However, the Dodgers changed history by improving their all-time record to 6-2,619 when trailing by five or more runs in the ninth inning or later. Their seven runs were also the most they had scored in a ninth inning since a game against the San Francisco Giants in 2004.
Heyward's fourth career grand slam came off Rockies pitcher Tyler Kinley. The slam followed walks from Andy Pages and Miguel Vargas and a single by Miguel Rojas. Heyward's fourth homer of the season struck the right-field foul pole, cutting the deficit markedly. The Dodgers trailed 7-2 in the fourth inning, a daunting gap that seemed to anticipate a Colorado victory.
Shohei Ohtani and Key Moments
Shohei Ohtani contributed with a 476-foot homer in the fifth. Later, Ohtani singled off pitcher Victor Vodnik (1-1) before Will Smith struck out looking. Freddie Freeman was intentionally walked, his sixth walk in the last two games, adding more tension to the game's narrative.
Hernandez’s Heroics
Teoscar Hernandez’s performance set the stage for the Dodgers' astonishing victory. Hernandez took a half-swing at a 1-2 fastball, and 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 then hit his 18th home run, turning the score in favor of the Dodgers, making it 11-9. This marked the first time in their 140-year history that the Dodgers hit both a grand slam and a three-run homer in the ninth inning.
After Hernandez's ball cleared the wall, Colorado right fielder Jake Cave stepped toward Barksdale and began yelling. Rockies second baseman Alan Trejo intervened, stepping between Cave and Barksdale after the inning ended. Relief pitcher Evan Phillips secured the victory by retiring the only batter he faced, Hunter Goodman, with a runner on second, recording 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
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 spectacular 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 now won four of their last five games and boast a 73-32 record against Colorado since 2018. In contrast, the Rockies have lost five of their last six games.
In-Game Reactions
Reliever Michael Petersen (1-0) worked two innings and struck out two in his major league debut.
"It was quality at-bats up and down the lineup," Los Angeles manager Dave Roberts said. "Jason was ready when called upon. Teo, he keeps coming up with big hits. That inning, certainly, the results showed the fight, the compete."
"I wasn't sure if it was going to stay fair or not," said Heyward. "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 knew 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."
"When I'm running in (before the last of the ninth)," Cave said, "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 summed up the night's emotions, "It was crazy. You can't feel anything. It's like your first date; you are tripping over stuff. But awesome."
With such a dramatic and historic victory, the Dodgers will likely carry this momentum forward, while the Rockies will look to regroup and reclaim their footing in the next series of games.