Kyle Tucker’s Electrifying Walk-Off Lifts Dodgers to Victory Against Marlins in Unforgettable Showdown

Monday evening at Dodger Stadium appeared destined to fade into obscurity.

That was until the Dodgers staged a thrilling comeback in the bottom of the ninth inning.

Facing a two-run deficit against the Marlins, the Dodgers orchestrated an electrifying three-run rally. This surge was fueled by disciplined at-bats, a powerful hit from Shohei Ohtani, and the crucial performance of Kyle Tucker. Tucker delivered the game-winning moment with a two-run, two-out single to center field, catapulting the Dodgers to a dramatic 5-4 victory.

As the ninth inning began, the Dodgers seemed devoid of momentum.

After scoring through Teoscar Hernández’s two-run single in the first inning, they failed to capitalize further. Liam Hicks’ three-run homer off Yoshinobu Yamamoto in the fifth inning had erased their lead. The team had also left the bases loaded in the seventh and struggled with runners in scoring positions, going just 1-for-6. This performance mirrored the lackluster play that had plagued them throughout much of the previous week.

But then Andy Pages drew a leadoff walk against Marlins closer Pete Fairbanks. Dalton Rushing pinch-hit and did the same in the next at-bat.

And though Miguel Rojas failed to get down a sacrifice bunt, instead popping it up to the catcher for the first out of the inning, Ohtani made sure it didn’t matter — ripping a ground-rule double into right to score one run.

Three batters later, Tucker came to the plate with the bases loaded, after the Marlins intentionally walked Freddie Freeman, removed Fairbanks from the game with an injury, then got a strikeout of Will Smith from right-hander Tyler Phillips. 

Phillips also got ahead of Tucker with a first-pitch strike, landing a splitter at the bottom of the zone.

But when he went there again, the team’s $240 million offseason signing was ready for it, slashing a line drive into center field for his biggest moment yet in what’s been a slow start to the year.

What it means

That, once again, the Dodgers (20-9) are never out of a game.

Between the second and sixth innings, the team had mustered just one hit. In that time, Yamamoto stumbled in a five-inning, four-run (three-earned) outing while lacking his typical stuff or command. 

However, their superstar lineup means, as long as they’re within striking distance, they’re always capable of mounting a comeback.

That’s what happened in the ninth, with key walks and big swings giving the team its second walk-off win of the year.

Who’s hot

Hernández is not known for drawing walks. But improved plate discipline has helped him not only earn a string of free bases lately, but also snap out of what had been a couple-week-long slump.

Hernández started his night Monday with a key hit, driving in the game’s first two runs with his opposite-field single in the first inning. After that, he walked twice, marking only the second time this season he has done so.

Following a 14-game stretch from April 7-24 in which he batted .154, Hernández is now 3-for-8 the last three days with four walks and four RBIs, raising his season average to .245.

Who’s not

At the very least, Smith was back in the lineup Monday after missing a couple games with back tightness.

However, he continued a recent slump by not only going hitless in five at-bats, but twice leaving the bases loaded in the seventh (when he broke his bat on an inning-ending grounder and the ninth.

That left Smith in a 1-for-18 rut in his last five games, with a three-run homer last Friday representing his only reprieve. His batting average is down to .231 and his OPS is down to .696. Among the club’s regulars, only Tucker has a lower mark in that latter category.

Up next

Ohtani (2-0, 0.38 ERA) will take the mound Tuesday opposite Marlins right-hander Janson Junk (1-2, 3.67 ERA). However, manager Dave Roberts made it sound Monday as if Ohtani would likely only pitch in the game, and not also serve as designated hitter. That would be partially because Ohtani is pitching on just five days’ rest for the first time this year, and partially because Wednesday’s series finale the following day is an afternoon start.