After a disappointing finish to their road trip, the Los Angeles Dodgers returned home for a rematch of the 2018 National League Championship Series with the Milwaukee Brewers. The Dodgers dropped the first two, extending their losing streak to six games, before salvaging the series.
L.A. saw Brewers closer Josh Hader in the series opener at Dodger Stadium, as the vaunted left-hander pitched 1.1 scoreless innings. He entered in the eighth but didn’t finish out the two-inning save due to pitch count.
Hader’s appearance began with David Freese pulling a pinch-hit double into left field and though the Dodgers failed to capitalize, it laid the foundation for a key moment one week later.
After Hader struck out Cody Bellinger to strand the bases loaded in the seventh inning on Friday night, he issued two walks in the eighth and it led to Kiké Hernandez clubbing a game-winning home run.
Hernandez explained to Alanna Rizzo he leaned on advice he received from Freese the night of his double and Bellinger’s bat, via SportsNet LA:
“The series back at home against them, Freeser had a pinch-hit double against him and after the game, I text him — we talk after every game — and I asked what his approach was against him. I took Freeser’s approach to the plate with Bellinger’s bat and when you take a clutch hitter’s approach to the plate with the MVP’s bat, good things tend to happen.”
Hernandez became just the second player to ever hit a home run off Hader when behind in the count, and the first to do so at 0-2. Furthermore, it was the first home run Hernandez has ever hit when facing an 0-2 count.
The thrilling victory extended the Dodgers’ winning streak to a season-best six games. Since April 2, they have had separate stretches of five consecutive wins, six straight losses and now six wins in a row.
