After a hot start to the 2016 season, Kiké Hernandez cooled considerably at the plate and often found himself the odd man out in a crowded outfield picture. Although Hernandez didn’t start on Sunday, he made a significant impact late in the game.
While the Los Angeles Dodgers were playing the Milwaukee Brewers in the finale of their four-game series, the San Francisco Giants defeated the Tampa Bay Rays to extend their lead in the National League West to seven games.
Kenta Maeda gave up a solo home run in the second inning but settled in and threw 6.2 innings. Despite allowing just the one run, Maeda exited with the Dodgers trailing as they struggled to generate much of anything against Matt Garza.
Los Angeles did have runners on second and third with none out in the bottom of the first on a Chase Utley leadoff single and Corey Seager double. However, Justin Turner struck out swinging and Adrian Gonzalez’s jam shot to left field resulted in an inning-ending double play.
With the Dodgers still trailing 1-0 in the bottom of the eighth inning, Hernandez pinch-hit for Pedro Baez. He clubbed the fourth pitch of the at-bat for a game-tying solo home run:
The pinch-hit home run was the first of Hernandez’s career. It was also a special moment for the utility man as his father is battling cancer. Hernandez said after the game he was going to give the retrieved home run ball to his father.
