Dodgers Digest Los Angeles Dodgers Baseball Blog
I had a simple recap written because I assumed the Dodgers would lose in a typical Coors Field mess, and was simply updating the score until the 9th.
— Chad Moriyama (@ChadMoriyama) June 19, 2024
Well, then that 9th happened and the Dodgers completed an improbable comeback victory with a seven-run rally powered by a pair of big blasts from Jason Heyward and Teoscar Hernandez to make it a 11-9 victory over the Rockies.
What a game.
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First things first, Walker Buehler is not having a fun time, as the results are getting worse and not better. Today was arguably his worst yet, though it was Coors: 4 IP, 7 H, 7 R, 1 BB, 2 K, 70 Pitches.
That taxed the pen a bit as Anthony Banda got an inning, then Yohan Ramirez got a frame but gave up a run, and Michael Petersen (making his MLB debut) got the last two innings but gave up a run as well to make it nine for the Rockies in total.
Michael Petersen's first MLB strikeout in his MLB debut. pic.twitter.com/zqHKkmO1Rp
— Chad Moriyama (@ChadMoriyama) June 19, 2024
Those pen runs didn’t seem like a big deal at the time, but they ended up being quite significant given the comeback that followed.
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For the most part, the game remained within what I call “Coors Field striking distance” despite the nine runs given up.
That was because Andy Pages socked his eighth homer in the 2nd, Chris Taylor tripled and scored on a Shohei Ohtani groundout in the 3rd, and Ohtani slugged his 20th dinger of the year in the 6th.
Get us started, Andy. pic.twitter.com/0HlSpxad31
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) June 19, 2024
476 feet from Shohei. pic.twitter.com/0wXOR7Czyf
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) June 19, 2024
They even got really close to rallying with two outs in the 7th for a tie, as Enrique Hernandez drew a walk and Miguel Vargas doubled in a run. After a CT3 walk, up came Ohtani again, and he smoked a ball with a pair on but Brenton Doyle robbed him of at least a triple and two RBI.
BRENTON DOYLE ROBS SHOHEI OHTANI pic.twitter.com/S8vlOwTYqr
— Dillard Barnhart (@BarnHasSpoken2) June 19, 2024
That seemed to prove hugely important for a while, as the Dodgers rallied in the 9th. A Pages walk was followed by a Miguel Rojas single, and after a strikeout, Miguel Vargas then walked to load things up. That put Jason Heyward at the plate and he smashed a grand slam to make it 9-8.
J-HEY GRAND SLAM! pic.twitter.com/ih1BsVAXiG
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) June 19, 2024
After that, Ohtani singled to restart the rally, and then Will Smith had a weird strikeout on a 3-2 count where he wanted time but didn’t get it and took strike three. Regardless, a wild pitch followed that advanced Ohtani to second, which led to an intentional walk to Freddie Freeman.
Because there wasn’t enough drama, a controversial check swing from Teoscar Hernandez with two strikes led to a Bud Black ejection.
Hilariously, on the very next pitch Teoscar belted a three-run, game-winning homer that made it 11-9.
TEOSCAR HERNÁNDEZ SAID IT AIN'T OVER UNTIL IT'S OVER. pic.twitter.com/X9FBc6Uoen
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) June 19, 2024
Good night. pic.twitter.com/PGe0ZMwm9R
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) June 19, 2024
What an honestly insane rally.
One inning. Two homers. Seven runs. Comeback complete. pic.twitter.com/mKniZKLGup
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) June 19, 2024
Alex Vesia and Evan Phillips combined in the 9th for the save, with the former getting two outs (and issuing a walk) and the latter getting the final out.
Wild wild game fit for Coors.
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| NL WEST | RECORD |
|---|---|
| Dodgers | 46-29 |
| Diamondbacks | 36-37 (9 GB) |
*Either still playing or will play later.
Same thing again tomorrow at 2:40 PM HT/5:40 PM PT/8:40 PM ET with Bobby Miller making a hopefully triumphant return against Ryan Feltner.
