Los Angeles Dodgers’ Shohei Ohtani watches his solo home run off Colorado Rockies starting pitcher Austin Gomber during the sixth inning of a baseball game on Tuesday, June 18, 2024, in Denver.
14:06 JST, June 19, 2024
DENVER (AP) — Jason Heyward hit a pinch-hit grand slam and Teoscar Hernandez added a three-run homer — all in a seven-run ninth inning — as the Los Angeles Dodgers rallied for an 11-9 victory at the Colorado Rockies on Tuesday night.
Heyward’s fourth career grand slam came from Tyler Kinley and followed walks from Andy Pages and Miguel Vargas around a single by Miguel Rojas. Heyward’s fourth home run of the season brought the Dodgers within 9-8 with one out in the inning after trailing 7-2 after four innings.
Los Angeles Dodgers third base coach Dino Ebel, left, congratulates Shohei Ohtani on a solo home run off Colorado Rockies starting pitcher Austin Gomber during the sixth inning of a baseball game on Tuesday, June 18, 2024, in Denver.
Shohei Ohtani, who had a 450-foot home run in the fifth, singled off Victor Vodnik (1-1) before Will Smith struck out after trying to step out of the batter’s box on a 3-2 pitch.
After a wild pitch, Freddie Freeman was walked intentionally, his sixth walk in the last two games, bringing up Hernandez. Hernandez took a half swing on a 1-2 fastball, but first base umpire Lance Barksdale ruled that Hernandez was not committed. Colorado manager Bud Black argued over the call and was ejected.
On the next pitch, Hernandez hit home his 18th to make it 11-9. After Hernandez’s ball cleared the wall, Colorado right fielder Jake Cave immediately took a few steps toward Barksdale and started yelling. Rockies second baseman Alan Trejo stepped between Cave and Barksdale after the inning ended.
Evan Phillips faced the only batter he faced, Hunter Goodman, who recorded his eleventh save in as many chances. Cave, the on-deck batter, was stopped by bench Mike Redmond as he tried to reach Bardsdale.
Elehuris Montero and Brenton Doyle homered for the Rockies, who scored four runs in the first inning and twice led by five runs.
Doyle added three hits for his first career four-hit game, scoring twice and making a diving catch from Ohtani’s line drive to right-center field with runners on first and second and two outs in the seventh inning, giving him maintained an 8-4 lead. .
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. He struck out two and walked one.
Michael Petersen (1-0) worked two innings in relief and struck out two for the win.
