Los Angeles Dodgers' Kim Hyesung (26) was substituted for a pinch hitter after a bizarre ball call from the umpire, after two plate appearances. The Dodgers escaped from a four-game losing streak with a dramatic comeback victory.
On the 21st (Korean time), Kim Hyesung started the home game against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, California, in 2025 Major League Baseball, batting ninth as the second baseman, with 2 at-bats, no hits, and 2 strikeouts.
In the eighth inning, Kim Hyesung was replaced by pinch hitter Tommy Edman before his at-bat and finished the game. Following 4 at-bats and no hits in the previous game (on the 20th) against Arizona, Kim remained silent for two consecutive games with no hits. His batting average dropped from .400 to .378 (14 hits in 37 at-bats) and his OPS decreased from .947 to .896.
On that day, Arizona's starter was right-handed pitcher Ryan Nelson. After making his Major League debut in 2022, Nelson has pitched 70 games (56 starts, 339⅓ innings) over four seasons with Arizona, recording 20 wins, 16 losses, 2 saves, and 1 hold with an earned run average of 4.61 and 266 strikeouts. Last year, he achieved 10 wins, but mainly worked in relief this year, recording 1 win, 1 loss, and 1 save with an earned run average of 5.13 and 28 strikeouts over 10 games (1 start, 26⅓ innings).
In his first plate appearance with two outs and no runners on in the third inning, Kim Hyesung grounded out to second base against Nelson. On a 2-2 count, he lined a 96.3 mph (155.0 km/h) four-seam fastball that came in on the fifth pitch. It was a strong hit at 104.3 mph (167.9 km/h), but it went straight to second baseman Ketel Marte, resulting in disappointment.
In the fifth inning, he came up to bat again with two outs and no runners on. However, he was called by the umpire from the very first pitch. Nelson's first pitch was a four-seam fastball that came in high and on the inside at 94.8 mph (152.6 km/h). The pitch was high and outside the strike zone to the extent that Kim Hyesung had to tilt his head back, but the home plate umpire Edwin Moscoso called it a strike.
Momentarily startled, Kim Hyesung looked at the umpire, but the call was unlikely to change. After unjustly being called a strike on the first pitch, Kim Hyesung faced a 2-2 count and struck out watching a fifth pitch that was a low four-seam fastball at 95.7 mph (154.0 km/h), leading to his exit.
Before his third at-bat in the eighth inning, Kim Hyesung was substituted for pinch hitter Edman and exited the game. Edman flew out to the infield as the shortstop.
On that day, the Dodgers achieved a dramatic comeback victory with a score of 4-3. After ending their recent four-game losing streak, the Dodgers secured their 30th win of the season (16 losses) and maintained their solitary lead in the National League (NL) West. Arizona, which ended its two-game winning streak, is at a record of 26 wins and 23 losses.
Dodgers' starter Yoshinobu Yamamoto dominated the Arizona batting order, pitching 7 innings with 1 hit, 2 walks, and 9 strikeouts without allowing any runs. He threw a personal-high 110 pitches in his Major League debut, including being a no-hitter until the sixth inning. His fastball reached a maximum speed of 97.2 mph (156.4 km/h), averaging 95.7 mph (154.0 km/h), along with curves (31 pitches), splitters (20 pitches), cutters (10 pitches), and sinkers (7 pitches), showcasing his power, but the bullpen could not hold onto the 1-run lead, resulting in no win.
In the eighth inning, with a 1-0 lead, the Dodgers managed to navigate through a two-out, bases-loaded crisis, but in the ninth inning, closer Tanner Scott gave up a game-tying solo home run over the left field wall to Gabriel Moreno. This marked Scott's third blown save of the season. In the 10th inning, Scott, who was pitching multiple innings, also allowed a two-run home run to Corbin Carroll over the left-center wall.
However, in the bottom of the 10th, the Dodgers rallied with Edman's one-RBI double to the left. After Shohei Ohtani drew an automatic intentional walk, with no outs and runners on first and second, Mookie Betts flew out to center field. However, Edman advanced to third base, and Ohtani pressured Arizona with a stolen base to second. When there were one out and runners on second and third, Arizona opted to fill the bases by intentionally walking Freddy Freeman.
However, Arizona's closer Shelby Miller hit Will Smith with his second pitch splitter, resulting in a bases-loaded walk to tie the game at 3-3. Followed by a sacrifice fly from Max Muncy, the runner at third base, Ohtani, scored the walk-off run, dramatically ending the four-game losing streak.
Batting as the designated hitter, Ohtani recorded 1 hit and 1 walk in 4 at-bats. He flew out to left field in the first inning, grounded out to second base in the fourth inning, and grounded out to second base again in the sixth inning. However, in his last at-bat in the eighth inning, he crushed a double that split the left-center gap, marking his 9th double of the season. After drawing an automatic intentional walk in the 10th inning, he successfully stole second base, marking his 11th steal of the season. Continuing his hitting streak to three games, Ohtani's batting average slightly dropped from .312 to .311 (59 hits in 190 at-bats), and his OPS decreased from 1.078 to 1.073.
[OSEN]