Baseball

Shohei Ohtani Has a 476-foot Homer in the Fifth; Hayward’s Slam, Hernandez’s 3-run Shot Highlight 7-Run Ninth as Dodgers Beat Rockies 11-9

AP Photo/David Zalubowski
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 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 over the Colorado Rockies on Tuesday night.

Heyward’s fourth career grand slam came off Tyler Kinley and followed walks by Andy Pages and Miguel Vargas around a single by Miguel Rojas. Heyward’s fourth homer of the season pulled the Dodgers within 9-8 with one out in the inning after trailing 7-2 after four innings.

AP Photo/David Zalubowski
Los Angeles Dodgers third base coach Dino Ebel, left, congratulates Shohei Ohtani for a solo home run off Colorado Rockies starting pitcher Austin Gomber during the sixth inning of a baseball game Tuesday, June 18, 2024, in Denver.

Shohei Ohtani, who had a 476-foot homer in the fifth, singled off Victor Vodnik (1-1) before Will Smith struck out looking after attempting to step out of the batter’s box on a 3-2 pitch.

After a wild pitch, Freddie Freeman received an intentional walk, his sixth walk in the last two games, bringing up Hernandez. Hernandez took a half-swing at a 1-2 fastball, but first base umpire Lance Barksdale ruled that Hernandez did not commit. Colorado manager Bud Black argued the call and was ejected.

On the next pitch, Hernandez hit his 18th home to make it 11-9. After Hernandez’s ball cleared the wall, Colorado right field Jake Cave immediately took a few steps toward Barksdale and began yelling. Rockies’ second baseman Alan Trejo stepped between Cave and Barksdale after the inning ended.

Evan Phillips got the only batter he faced, Hunter Goodman, to recorded his 11th save in as many chances. Cave, the on-deck hitter, was restrained by bench Mike Redmond as he attempted to reach Bardsdale.

Elehuris Montero and Brenton Doyle homered for the Rockies, who scored four runs in the first and twice led by five runs.

Doyle added three singles for his first career four-hit game, scored twice, and made a diving catch of 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.

Dodgers starter Walker Buehler gave up eight hits and seven runs in four innings. It was the first time the 29-yeaer-old right-hander allowed more than three earned runs since returning to the rotation May 6 after missing the 2023 season because of Tommy John surgery. He struck out two and walked one.

Michael Petersen (1-0) worked two innings of relief and struck out two for the win.