Rojas provides – Miguel Rojas saw just one pitch in his pinch-hit at-bat, then turned it into the Dodgers’ first pinch-hit home run of the season, lifting Los Angeles to a 4-3 win over the Rays at Dodger Stadium on Monday night.
Los Angeles woke up in the second inning to a 3-0 hole—and then spent the rest of the night trying to claw its way back to staying there.
Miguel Rojas had only one pitch all night in the moment that mattered most. In the bottom of the seventh. he pinch-hit against Rays reliever Steven Matz. took a first-pitch sinker. and pulled it into the left-field seats for a solo shot. It held as the game-winning run in the Dodgers’ 4-3 victory at Dodger Stadium on Monday night.
The home run was the Dodgers’ first pinch-hit homer of the season and the second of Rojas’ career. Before his swing, the game had been tied at 3 since the second inning.
The chase started early. Against Dodgers starter Eric Lauer. the Rays opened strong. jumping out to a 3-0 lead through the top of the second. The Dodgers answered quickly in the bottom half. Mookie Betts led off with a double. Max Muncy hustled down the first-base line to beat out an infield single. Kyle Tucker then worked an eight-pitch at-bat and drove a full-count changeup into the right-field seats for a three-run blast. erasing the early deficit and leveling the game at 3.
By the top of the third, the contest tightened instead of opening back up. Tucker put his arm to work to help preserve the tie. When Jonathan Aranda tried to score from second base on a Ben Williamson single. Tucker delivered a perfect throw home to cut down the would-be go-ahead run at the plate—his fifth outfield assist. The play matched his total from last season. At 92.5 mph, it was Tucker’s hardest throw of the season and the fourth-hardest assist of his career.
For the rest of the game, Lauer’s effort began to look like the right kind of stabilizing. The Rays’ pitching staff was able to hold the Dodgers at bay until Rojas came off the bench. One swing. one pitch. and suddenly the deficit the Dodgers fought for all night didn’t just disappear—it reappeared as a lead that would not be surrendered.
After Rojas’ tiebreaking blast, the Dodgers had what they needed: a margin they could protect, and a moment that started on the bench and ended in the left-field seats.
Miguel Rojas Dodgers vs Rays pinch-hit home run Steven Matz Eric Lauer Kyle Tucker Mookie Betts Max Muncy Jonathan Aranda Ben Williamson
One pitch? That’s wild. Dodgers pitching is still sus though.
So they were down 3-0 and then suddenly Rojas just hits one homer?? baseball is basically vibes, I guess. Betts was doing stuff too and Muncy hustled, but man that pinch hit swing was the whole story.
I don’t get how “pinch-hit home run of the season” is a big deal when it’s literally like one for the year lol. Also why was Steven Matz even in there if he’s a reliever? Feels like the Rays blew it in the third and then just kept it close. Tucker’s throw home was cool but still, defense shouldn’t decide everything.
Rojas blasting off the bench sounds great but didn’t they lose last time cuz of the manager? I swear these teams always do the same thing—get down early then act shocked and try to come back. Mookie double, Muncy hustle, then Tucker makes a “perfect throw” like he’s always doing that. Anyway congrats to Dodgers for pulling it out, because 4-3 feels way too close.