Mike Salas
Game 14, 4/9/2025: Dodgers 6, Nationals 5
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Dodgers bounced back in dramatic fashion on Wednesday afternoon, overcoming a blown early 4–0 lead and rallying late behind Andy Pages’ game-tying home run and Teoscar Hernández’s go-ahead RBI bloop to beat the Nationals 6–5 and avoid a series sweep in Washington, D.C. Despite a shaky outing from rookie Landon Knack, the bullpen held strong, and the offense came through in the clutch to secure the win.
After a stretch of sloppy play and forgetting the fundamentals of baseball, the Dodgers finally got off to a strong start in the first inning. Shohei Ohtani led things off with a single, followed by a walk from Mookie Betts. Tommy Edman came up next and drove them both in with a two-run double to right field. Teoscar Hernández, hitting in the cleanup spot, launched a two-run homer over the left-center field wall, putting the Dodgers up 4–0 with no outs.
The Nationals answered quickly with a leadoff home run, followed by the next two batters reaching base. Dodgers starter Landon Knack struggled with his command, eventually loading the bases with no outs. He labored through the first inning, throwing 41 pitches and allowing three runs.
Knack gave up a line drive to right-center field in the third, which tied the game and ended his day. His final line: 69 pitches (36 strikes), 2.1 IP, 4 H, 5 ER, 4 BB, 2 K, 1 HR. Jack Dreyer came on in relief with runners in scoring position. He surrendered a sacrifice fly, allowing the Nationals to take the lead after trailing 4–0.
Nationals starter Jake Irvin also had a rough first inning, throwing nearly 40 pitches and giving up four runs. But he settled in nicely, finishing five innings and allowing just one more hit.
In the top of the seventh, Andy Pages crushed a solo home run over the left field wall, tying the game at 5–5 with Ohtani waiting in the batter’s box. Ohtani reached base on an error and then stole second, putting himself in scoring position for Betts. Betts grounded out to second, moving Ohtani to third. Edman followed with a walk.
Then, Teoscar Hernández delivered again—this time with a bloop single over the second baseman, scoring Ohtani and advancing Edman to third. The momentum had clearly shifted in the Dodgers’ favor, and it was up to the bullpen to lock it down.
Once again, the Dodgers’ relievers came up clutch. Alex Vesia had a key pickoff in the 8th, and Blake Treinen managed to pitch around a bloop single and a walk in the ninth, aided by a great play from Kiké Hernández at first base to help secure the win and avoid a sweep. He ranged far to right, diving for a screamer off the bat of C.J. Abrams, flipping it to Mookie Betts for an out to save a run. Whew!
Los Angeles will have an off day Thursday before opening a series against the Chicago Cubs on Friday, April 11, at 7:10 PM PST. Yoshinobu Yamamoto is scheduled to start for the Dodgers, while Matthew Boyd will take the mound for the Cubs.
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