Historic Comeback: Dodgers Defeat Rockies in Thrilling Fashion
In a game brimming with dramatic turns, the Los Angeles Dodgers orchestrated an electrifying comeback to secure an 11-9 victory over the Colorado Rockies on Tuesday night. With the odds stacked against them, the Dodgers stunned fans and statisticians alike, overturning a long-standing losing streak when trailing by five or more runs in the ninth inning or later.
Heroics in the Ninth
Pinch-hitter Jason Heyward ignited the rally with a grand slam, followed by Teoscar Hernandez’s three-run homer, culminating in a seven-run ninth inning that sealed the victory. The Dodgers had previously lost 1,137 consecutive games when trailing by such a margin, a streak dating back to 1957. This incredible effort now improves their all-time record in such scenarios to 6-2,619.
Heyward's grand slam, his fourth career and the season, came off Rockies reliever Tyler Kinley. This momentous swing followed walks by Andy Pages and Miguel Vargas and a single by Miguel Rojas. Heyward’s hit ricocheted off the right-field foul pole, adding to the drama of the evening.
Setting the Stage
The Dodgers found themselves trailing 7-2 as early as the fourth inning. Despite notable performances, such as Shohei Ohtani's 476-foot homer in the fifth inning, the Rockies maintained their lead. Ohtani also singled off pitcher Victor Vodnik while Will Smith struck out looking, and Freddie Freeman drew his sixth intentional walk in two games.
Hernandez's clutch performance was pivotal in the Dodgers' comeback. His half-swing on a 1-2 fastball was initially ruled not a swing by first base umpire Lance Barksdale, a call contested fiercely by Rockies manager Bud Black, who was subsequently ejected. Hernandez capitalized on the opportunity, smashing his 18th home run to make the score 11-9.
Historical Firsts
This victory marked the first time in the Dodgers' 140-year history that they hit both a grand slam and a three-run homer in the ninth inning. Understandably, tensions ran high following Hernandez's decisive hit, with Rockies right fielder Jake Cave confronting Barksdale and needing to be restrained by bench coach Mike Redmond post-game.
Relief pitcher Evan Phillips preserved the win, securing his 11th save by retiring Hunter Goodman with a runner on second. Despite their initial dominance, the Rockies' bullpen crumbled, unable to hold the five-run lead they had maintained throughout much of the game.
Rockies' Early Dominance
Despite the loss, the Rockies had standout moments. Elehuris Montero and Brenton Doyle both homered, contributing to their four-run first inning. Doyle, who achieved his first career four-hit game, also made a crucial diving catch to preserve an 8-4 lead in the seventh inning.
Rockies starter Walker Buehler struggled, allowing eight hits and seven runs over four innings. This marked the first time since his return from Tommy John surgery that he allowed more than three earned runs in a start. Buehler struck out two and walked one, relinquishing control to the bullpen sooner than anticipated.
On the Dodgers’ side, relievers played a critical role. Michael Petersen earned his first major league win, pitching two innings and striking out two in his debut. Andy Pages also contributed a home run, helping the Dodgers notch their fourth win in five games and extending their strong record against Colorado.
Quotes from the Field
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts praised his team's resilience: "It was quality at-bats up and down the lineup," he said. "Jason was ready when called upon. Teo keeps coming up with big hits. That inning, certainly, the results showed the fight, the compete."
Reflecting on his grand slam, Heyward commented, "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 acknowledged the closeness of the game-changing call: "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."
Rockies right fielder Cave expressed his frustration with the umpire's ruling: "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."
Describing his major league debut, 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’ remarkable comeback against the Rockies will be remembered as a testament to their tenacity and ability to perform under pressure, rewriting the narrative and etching this game into the annals of their storied history.