Narrative Statements:
In a game filled with dramatic swings, the Los Angeles Dodgers rallied for an electrifying 11-9 victory over the Colorado Rockies on Tuesday night. The Dodgers, who had previously lost 1,137 consecutive games when trailing by five or more runs in the ninth inning or later, pulled off a miraculous comeback dating back to 1957. This losing streak was the second-longest active streak under such conditions; only the Mariners had a longer streak with 1,234 losses.
Historic Rally
Jason Heyward hit a pinch-hit grand slam, and Teoscar Hernandez added a three-run homer, both crucial for a seven-run ninth inning that marked the Dodgers’ most runs in a ninth inning since 2004. The Dodgers' all-time record improved to 6-2,619 when trailing by five or more runs in the ninth inning or later.
Heyward's fourth career grand slam followed walks by Andy Pages and Miguel Vargas, and a single by Miguel Rojas. His homer delivered the dramatic tying runs, hitting the right-field foul pole. "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."
Tension in the Stadium
The Dodgers trailed 7-2 by the fourth inning. Later, Shohei Ohtani blasted a 476-foot homer in the fifth, adding to the tension. However, Ohtani's pivotal moment unfolded in the ninth when he singled off pitcher Victor Vodnik (1-1) before Freddie Freeman, who was intentionally walked for his sixth walk in two games. Hernandez then hit his 18th home run, making the score 11-9. "It was close. You can call it either way, and it will be fine," Hernandez reflected. "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."
Colorado’s manager, Bud Black, disputed a check-swing call by first base umpire Lance Barksdale on Hernandez's game-winning swing and was subsequently ejected. After Hernandez's ball cleared the wall, Rockies right fielder Jake Cave approached Barksdale aggressively, leading to intervention by second baseman Alan Trejo. Cave exclaimed, "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."
Rockies' Effort
The Rockies responded with a battling effort, with homers from Elehuris Montero and Brenton Doyle. Doyle, in particular, shone brightly, adding three singles for his first career four-hit game, scoring twice, and making a pivotal diving catch off 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 struggled, giving up eight hits and seven runs in four innings. This game marked the first time Buehler, returning to the rotation on May 6 after missing the 2023 season due to Tommy John surgery, allowed more than three earned runs. Buehler struck out two and walked one. "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."
Finishing Strong
Despite the rocky start, the Dodgers have now won four of their last five games and boast a 73-32 record against Colorado since 2018. The Rockies, on the other hand, have lost five of their last six games.
Reliever Michael Petersen (1-0) performed admirably in his major league debut, working two innings with two strikeouts. "It was crazy. You can't feel anything. It's like your first date; you are tripping over stuff. But awesome," Petersen recounted.
Relief pitcher Evan Phillips secured his 11th save in as many chances by retiring the only batter he faced, Hunter Goodman, with a runner on second. As the on-deck hitter, Cave had to be restrained by bench coach Mike Redmond at the game’s end.
Overall, the Dodgers showcased resilience and tenacity, marking a historic night that stunned the Rockies and delighted fans.