The Los Angeles Dodgers Pull Off Historic Comeback Against Colorado Rockies
In a game filled with dramatic swings, the Los Angeles Dodgers delivered a stunning comeback to defeat the Colorado Rockies 11-9 on Tuesday night. The Dodgers, who trailed by five runs in the ninth inning or later in 1,137 consecutive games dating back to 1957, shattered the streak in an electrifying fashion.
Dramatic Ninth Inning
With the Dodgers trailing 7-2 in the fourth inning, the path to victory seemed improbable. However, the ninth inning saw Jason Heyward hit a pinch-hit grand slam, followed by Teoscar Hernandez adding a three-run homer, contributing to a massive seven-run inning. Heyward's grand slam, his fourth career achievement, came off Tyler Kinley. This momentum swing followed walks by Andy Pages and Miguel Vargas and a single by Miguel Rojas, which loaded the bases.
Heyward expressed his excitement post-game. "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 was like, 'Come on, squeak in, squeak in.' I honestly feel like we got rewarded for our process in the ninth."
Hernandez's three-run homer off a half-swing at a 1-2 fastball, which first base umpire Lance Barksdale ruled as a non-commitment, sealed the Dodgers’ lead. This ruling led to an ejection for Colorado manager Bud Black, who argued the call. Hernandez's homer, his 18th of the season, marked the inaugural instance in the Dodgers' 140-year history of hitting both a grand slam and a three-run homer in the ninth inning.
A Record-Breaking Performance
The Dodgers’ seven-run ninth inning was the most they had scored in a final inning since a game against the San Francisco Giants in 2004. This victory improved their all-time record to 6-2,619 when trailing by five or more runs in the ninth inning or later. The Mariners hold the longest active losing streak in such scenarios, with 1,234 losses.
Rockies’ Strong Start
The Rockies had a promising start with Elehuris Montero and Brenton Doyle homering early in the game. Doyle, who had his first career four-hit game, including a diving catch of Shohei Ohtani’s line drive in the seventh inning, kept the Rockies' hopes alive. Despite scoring four runs in the first inning and twice holding five-run leads, they couldn’t fend off the Dodgers’ late rally.
Dodgers starter Walker Buehler struggled, giving up eight hits and seven runs in four innings. It was the first time Buehler allowed more than three earned runs since his return from Tommy John surgery earlier this season. He ended the night with two strikeouts and one walk.
Key Player Contributions
Andy Pages also contributed with a home run, aiding the Dodgers’ winning streak to four out of their last five games. The Dodgers now boast a 73-32 record against Colorado since 2018. Reliever Michael Petersen earned his first major league win, striking out two over two innings in his debut.
In a display of resilience, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts praised his team’s performance: "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."
Controversial Call and Aftermath
Following Hernandez's pivotal home run, Colorado’s right fielder Jake Cave voiced his frustration, leading to a confrontation with umpire Barksdale. Rockies second baseman Alan Trejo intervened as Cave had to be restrained by bench coach Mike Redmond after the game ended.
Cave contended, "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."
Despite the controversy, Dodgers reliever Evan Phillips remained composed and secured his 11th save in as many chances by retiring Hunter Goodman with a runner on second. The victory marked a significant moment in Dodgers’ history and a testament to their never-say-die attitude.