Teoscar Hernandez needed just a few pitches to delight Los Angeles Dodgers fans during Game 3 of the NLDS on Tuesday after the San Diego Padres scored six runs against Walker Buehler in the second inning. Buehler was so angry after the inning that he threw a cooler in the dugout to express his frustration. Little did he know that his offense had his back.
Miguel Rojas, Shohei Ohtani and Mookie Betts started the third inning with consecutive singles off Michael King to load up the bases. Freddie Freeman was lined out as Hernandez arrived at the plate with one out and the bases loaded.
The 85-mph high pitch from King was sent out of the park by Hernandez, who registered a grand slam, putting the Dodgers right back in the game and cutting the five-run deficit to 6-5. It was a 403-foot home run to dead center field that silenced Petco Park.
Dodgers ace frustrated after six-run 2nd innings
The grand slam from Teoscar Hernandez was a delight to sore eyes for Dodgers fans who had to see their starting pitcher losing it off the mound. Buehler was visibly frustrated after he surrendered six runs as he threw a cooler and glove in the dugout.
His frustration was understandable as his defense couldn't capitalize on two potential double play opportunities that could have ended the innings there and there instead of six runs.
The first opportunity came on Jackson Merril's groundball to Freddie Freeman, whose throw to Miguel Rojas ended up hitting running Manny Machado as the ball ricocheted to left field as Machado scored.
Another opportunity came when Xander Bogaerts hit to shortstop Rojas. The Dodgers infielder was late in tagging the bag as Merrill reached the base safely. Immediately upon realizing it, he fired a throw to first baseman but it was too late against the speedy Bogaerts by then.
Later, a double by David Peralta cleared the bases for two runs. Kyle Higashioka's sac-fly allowed Peralta to score and then finally, a two-run home run by Fernando Tatis Jr. resulted in the Padres getting on top of the Dodgers 6-1.