A scorching Sunday afternoon at Dodger Stadium began with a handful of Los Angeles Dodgers players and coaches catching the first pitch from their children in honor of Father’s Day. Kiké Hernandez was not part of the pregame ceremony, nor did he start, but the utility man made an impact before day’s end.
With the Dodgers trailing the Milwaukee Brewers 1-0 in the eighth inning, Hernandez pinch hit for Pedro Baez and tied the game with a solo home run. “It was a fastball middle-in, I was looking heater, and I basically just reacted,” he said.
The home run came with added significance for Hernandez, as his father is battling cancer. “I really wish I had words, but I really don’t,” Hernandez said when asked to describe his home run.
“As soon as I hit it I had goosebumps throughout my entire body. I really had to try and keep my composure while I was running the bases. It felt amazing.” The pinch-hit homer was the first of his career.
Even with the sentimental moment, Hernandez’s upbeat personality came through. “Once I tied the game everybody was like, ‘It’s really hot. Can you please score another one? We don’t want to play extras,'” he joked.
Hernandez got off to a strong start this season, punishing lefties, but has cooled considerably. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts nonetheless spoke highly of Hernandez’s importance. “He’s obviously dominated left-handed pitching throughout his career, and to be able to come off the bench and hit a homer in that spot was tremendous,” Roberts said.
“He does a lot of things for us as far as the versatility; he’s a heck of a player. No bigger hit than that right there.” In discussing his big moment, Hernandez pointed to the recent success Adrian Gonzalez and Justin Turner have had as reason the Dodgers may be turning the corner.
Given the home run ball after the game, Hernandez said he’ll gift it to his father, who is a scout in the Pittsburgh Pirates organization. “It’s not mine, it’s my dad’s ball,” an emotional Hernandez said. “I’ll see him in Pittsburgh and give it to him.”
