Wednesday, June 18, 2025

Copyrighted by Sarah Morris, 2025

On a warm Wednesday night at Dodger Stadium, Will Smith had a pinch-hit, walk-off home run to make the Los Angeles Dodgers triumphant over the San  Diego Padres 4-to-3. The Dodgers lengthened their winning streak to five games. Emmet Sheehan and Justin Wrobleski were brilliant. The Dodgers had a three-run fifth. the Dodgers lengthened their lead over the San Francisco Giants and the Padres in the National League Western Division.

For the first time since October 2023, Emmet Sheehan hadn’t taken a major league mound. As a rookie, he impressed with his poise on the mound and won 4 games. In May 2024, he underwent Tommy John surgery. During his rehabilitation assignment, he issued only one walk. If the Dodgers didn’t have 14 injured pitchers, they would have had Sheenan pitch at least one more rehabilitation start to build up his pitch count.

Sheenan allowed a single with one out in the first and could strand the runner.

The Dodgers didn’t do anything offensively in the first.

To open the second, Sheenan allowed a double and a run-scoring single with two outs. He struck out the last hitter of the inning.

In the second, Andy Pages doubled with two outs but was left.

Sheenan was perfect in the third.

The Dodgers didn’t do anything offensively in the third.

Sheenan struck out the side in the fourth.

Freddie Freeman singled with an out in the fourth but was erased on Teoscar Hernández’s double play.

Justin Wrobleski relieved Sheenan in the fifth and retired the side on 9 pitches.

Max Muncy tripled to start the fifth and scored on Pages’ sac fly. Tommy Edman singled, and Hyeseong Kim doubled Edman to third. Dalton Rushing singled in both Edman and Kim. Shohei Ohtani hit into a double play.

Wrobleski continued pitching in the sixth with a perfect inning.

In the sixth, the Dodgers went down in order.

Wrobleski continued pitching in the seventh and was superb.

Muncy started the seventh with a walk, and Pages was plunked by a pitch. Rushing walked to load the bases. The Dodgers wasted a scoring opportunity.

Wrobleski continued pitching in the eighth and allowed a double with two outs. He stranded the runner.

Mookie Betts walked to begin the eighth and was erased on a force play by Freeman. Muncy walked. The Dodgers wasted another scoring opportunity.

Wrobleski continued pitching in the ninth. He allowed a lead-off single. A throwing error by Max Muncy that allowed Manny Machado to reach. He allowed a single to load the bases. He gave up a run on a sacrifice fly. He allowed a run-producing double to tie the game. Freeman got an out at the plate. Wrobleski escaped from the jam.

Pinch-hitting for Kiké Hernández, Will Smith blasted the game-winning home run.