Teoscar Hernández's walk-off single helps Dodgers sweep the Pirates (2024)

The Dodgers bypassed the easy route to victory on Sunday afternoon.

Instead, they took a more dramatic path to a 6-5 extra-innings win against the Pittsburgh Pirates.

After leading by four runs early, then squandering the lead behind poor situational hitting and an eighth-inning blunder from the bullpen, the Dodgers regrouped, erased a one-run deficit in the 10th inning on Kiké Hernández leadoff double, then finally prevailed on Teoscar Hernández’s walk-off single — securing a weekend series sweep over the Pirates to grow their narrow National League West lead back to 3 ½ games.

“The rest of the division is playing great baseball,” Kiké said, well aware of recent hot streaks from the San Diego Padres (wins in 16 of 19 games) and Arizona Diamondbacks (wins in 15 of 18), who are tied for second in the division.

“If we keep losing games, they’re going to keep creeping up on us.”

The Dodgers (69-49) almost let their division rivals creep a little closer Sunday, squandering the four-run lead they built in the first two innings.

Pirates slugger Andrew McCutchen hit a pair of two-run homers to get Pittsburgh level, taking Tyler Glasnow deep in the third inning (the only runs Glasnow gave up in a seven-inning start) and reliever Anthony Banda out in the eighth — celebrating the latter blast with a LeBron-esque shoulder shrug.

The Dodgers, meanwhile, squandered opportunity after opportunity, stranding runners in scoring position four times during a scoreless seven-inning stretch.

“We failed to add on,” Kiké said. “They stayed in the game.”

Yet, after falling behind 5-4 when Teoscar misplayed a ball in left field in the top of the 10th, the Dodgers battled back.

Kiké led the inning off with a double down the line against Pirates closer David Bednar, who was on the mound for his second inning of work.

Then, the Dodgers stressed Bednar with a couple of long at-bats, pushing his pitch count into the 30s after two-strike marathons from Andy Pages (who walked on a pitch clock violation) and Jason Heyward (who ultimately struck out).

“I believe it’s a huge part of it,” Kiké said of the Dodgers’ ability to wear down Bednar. “He’s probably not used to that.”

Shohei Ohtani had a chance to be the hero with one out, but lifted a lazy pop up down the third base line. That out marked Ohtani’s third empty at-bat of the day with runners in scoring position, and dropped his overall batting average to .117 (seven for 60) over his last 12 games.

Teoscar, however, saved the day three pitches later, lining an 0-and-2 fastball the other way for a walk-off single — salvaging a game that should have never been that close.

“I just, you know, try to not overthink it, not trying to over-swing or anything like that,” he said. “Like I always say, just trying to stay patient, be calm and just get a good pitch and put it in play.”

Teoscar, who also had a two-run double in the second inning, now has 79 RBIs this season (second-most on the team, behind only Ohtani). He has six tying or go-ahead hits in the seventh inning or later of a game. Sunday was the second time he has walked a game off this year.

“It just looks like he embraces being in those spots, he shortens up his swing, makes contact and that’s why he has driven in close to 80 runs already,” Roberts said. “It’s hard to find a guy that you want in that spot more than Teo.”

Kemp gets honored

At the end of their “alumni weekend,” the Dodgers officially ushered one of their old fan favorites into alumni status.

Before first pitch Sunday, the Dodgers held an on-field ceremony for former All-Star outfielder Matt Kemp, signing him to an honorary one-day contract so he could officially retire as a member of the team.

Kemp last appeared in the majors with the Colorado Rockies in 2020, but the best years of his career came in Los Angeles — including his runner-up finish for MVP in 2011, and his resurgent All-Star campaign in 2018, when he helped the Dodgers reach the World Series.

“As a 21-year-old kid coming to L.A. from Oklahoma, my eyes were opened a little bit wider being here in this city,” Kemp said in an address to the crowd. “But I had some great, great moments. And I’m very thankful for you guys. I’m thankful for the Dodgers organization.”