As die-hard baseball fans, we were all taught long ago that ‘It ain’t over till it’s over,’ especially at mile-high Coors Field, home of the National League West Colorado Rockies. But if ever there were a ‘It ain’t over till it’s over’ game, Tuesday night’s Dodgers-Rockies was it. But here again, it is Coors Field we’re talking about here.

The NL West first-place Dodgers entered the top of the ninth inning trailing the NL West last place Rockies by a seemingly insurmountable 9-4 deficit. But here again, it is the Rockies we’re talking about here.

Sure enough, in true Coors Field fashion, and with one out and the bases loaded in the top of the ninth inning, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts elected to have known power-hitter Jason Heyward (.250) pinch hit for horrifically-struggling utility infielder/outfielder Chris Taylor (.116). It could very well be remembered as among the best decisions the nine-year Dodgers skipper has made. Heyward hit a grand slam home run that actually hit the right field foul pole.

“I had some good takes early, he (Rockies right-hander Tyler Kinley) kept making good pitch after good pitch, swung through a 2-1 slider, you know, fought off the next one,” Heyward told SportsNet LA’s Kirsten Watson postgame. “And I just told myself ‘You gotta good feel-good swing, I just, right here, take your time. If it’s there it’s there, if it’s not, tip my cap. Fortunately, I ran into that one and it stayed fair.”

Although Heyward’s granny “stayed fair,” it made it 9-8 Rockies … but not for long.

After a pitching change, Dodgers designated Shohei Ohtani singled to left, followed by a strikeout by Dodgers catcher Will Smith for the second out of the inning. A wild pitch by Rockies right-hander Victor Vodnik allowed Ohtani to take second, prompting Rockies manager Bud Black to have Vodnik intentionally walk always-dangerous Freddie Freeman, bringing Dodgers right fielder Teoscar Hernández (and his team second-most 17 home runs behind Ohtani’s 20) to the plate, with two outs and the tying run on second base.

Make that Hernández’s team second-most 18 home runs.

After a gifted ball call on what was ruled a checked swing on a 1-2 count (he definitely went, and for which Black was ejected), Hernández absolutely destroyed Vodnik’s next pitch, a justifiably angry 100.6-MPH four-seam fastball, sending it 423 feet to right-center field for a three-run home run, making it 11-9 Dodgers, the eventual final score.

“We know what we’re capable of, we gotta fight to the last out. That’s what we did today, and thank God we got the win,” Hernández told Watson.

All charity greatly appreciated.

Play Ball!

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