Shohei Ohtani delivered a dramatic three-run home run in the top of the ninth inning to cap a six-run rally, helping the Los Angeles Dodgers overcome the Arizona Diamondbacks 14-11 on Friday night in one of the most eventful games of the season. The win evened the series and marked a significant comeback for a Dodgers team that saw an early five-run lead evaporate before surging back in the final frame.
The Dodgers were favored heading into the matchup, with most sportsbooks listing them at -150 on the moneyline, while the Diamondbacks were priced around +130. The game’s run total was projected at 9.5, but the two teams easily surpassed that mark in a high-scoring contest featuring 25 hits and five home runs.
Los Angeles entered the ninth inning trailing 11-8, having surrendered momentum after Arizona stormed back from an early deficit. Andy Pages and Kiké Hernández ignited the comeback with back-to-back run-scoring doubles off Diamondbacks reliever Kevin Ginkel. Max Muncy followed with an RBI single to tie the game at 11, prompting a pitching change as Ryan Thompson took over on the mound for Arizona.
Ohtani, already with two doubles and an RBI earlier in the game, faced a 1-2 count before driving a pitch deep to right field. The ball cleared the fence near the pool deck, giving the Dodgers a 14-11 lead. It was Ohtani’s 12th home run of the season, and he got four RBIs on the night. The blast further solidified his status as one of baseball’s most reliable performers in high-pressure moments.
Tanner Scott entered in the bottom of the ninth and retired the side to earn his 11th save of the year. The victory was credited to reliever Alex Vesia, who had allowed two solo home runs in the eighth that gave Arizona its brief three-run lead.
The Dodgers had initially taken control of the game early, building an 8-3 lead through the first three innings. Arizona starter Eduardo Rodriguez struggled in his outing, giving up eight earned runs on nine hits in just two and two-thirds innings. Kiké Hernández contributed to the early offensive burst with a solo home run in the second inning, extending Los Angeles’s streak of games with a home run to 13.
The Diamondbacks mounted their comeback in the fifth inning when Lourdes Gurriel Jr. hit a grand slam to tie the game at eight. In the eighth, Ketel Marte and Randal Grichuk went deep against Vesia, swinging the lead in Arizona’s favor for the first time in the game. Marte finished the night with two home runs, continuing a strong series performance.
Arizona also made franchise history by hitting grand slams in consecutive games for just the second time. Gabriel Moreno hit a grand slam in Thursday’s series opener, while Gurriel’s shot on Friday matched a feat previously accomplished by the club in 2011.
The series continues Saturday with right-hander Dustin May scheduled to start for the Dodgers. May enters the game with a 1-2 record and a 4.36 ERA. Arizona will counter with Corbin Burnes, who brings a 1-1 record and a 3.58 ERA into the matchup. Both teams look to gain an edge as the tightly contested series progresses.
