Dodgers stars Jayson Heyward, Teoscar Hernández power wild ninth-inning rally to stun Rockies
Teoscar Hernández's three-run home run in the ninth came with two outs and two strikes
By all accounts, the Dodgers should have lost on Tuesday in Denver.
After falling into a five-run deficit almost immediately at Coors Field, the Dodgers entered the ninth inning still needing to make up that gap. The game was three outs away from being over.
Of course, that’s when they finally came alive.
Behind two massive home runs from Jayson Heyward and Teoscar Hernández, the Dodgers pulled off a ridiculous rally to claim an 11-9 win over the Colorado Rockies. They put up seven runs in the ninth inning to escape with the victory.
The rally marked the first time since 1957 that the Dodgers have overcome a deficit of five or more runs in the ninth inning or later. The Dodgers are also the first team in MLB history to hit a grand slam and a three-run home run in the ninth inning or later while trailing.
First, after the team loaded up the bases in the ninth inning, it was Heyward who drilled a grand slam with his deep shot off the right-field foul pole. That cut the deficit to a single run.
Then, with two outs and two strikes, Hernández followed suit, hitting a three-run home run to put the Dodgers in the lead for the first time all night.
From there, the Dodgers shut down the Rockies in the bottom of the inning to grab the win.
The Dodgers entered the ninth with four runs on the board, thanks largely to Shohei Ohtani. He had two hits, two RBI and a deep solo home run in the sixth inning — which traveled a season-record 476 feet into center field off Rockies pitcher Austin Gomber.
476 feet from Shohei. pic.twitter.com/0wXOR7Czyf
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) June 19, 2024
Ohtani now has 91 hits, 20 home runs and 49 RBI on the year.
The win marked the Dodgers’ fourth in their past five games and second straight over the Rockies. They hold a 46-29 record, which is good for a massive lead in the NL West, heading into Wednesday’s game in Denver, which will be the third in a four-game series against the Rockies.
The Rockies, on the other hand, sit last in the division and have lost seven of their past nine games. While they seemed to be well on their way to a win Tuesday, they slipped at the very last moment.