After coming back to win the series against the Cubs, the Dodgers started the series against the Marlins, which seemed like it could be a chance to string together a nice run. Instead, it was the Marlins who came up with the big hits and the Dodgers who couldn’t do anything after the initial inning in what looked like a 4-2 loss.
Looked like because the Dodgers suddenly rallied in the 9th, plating three runs and Kyle Tucker having his first moment as a Dodger to walk it off in a 5-4 win and their third straight.
#HappyRewrite
— Chad Moriyama (@chadmoriyama.bsky.social) April 27, 2026 at 7:13 PM
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A familiar competitor in Chris Paddack was on the bump for the Marlins, and the Dodgers shockingly got to him early in support of Yoshinobu Yamamoto.
Shohei Ohtani led things off with a single and Freddie Freeman followed with one of his own, but two outs later and they both only advanced one bag. It seemed like a typical strand situation, but Teoscar Hernandez came through with the third single of the inning to make it 2-0.
Dodgers avoid Yamamoto’ing Yamamoto as Teoscar drives in a pair for an early lead. pic.twitter.com/RALBzHBSR1
— Chad Moriyama (@ChadMoriyama) April 28, 2026
After that, Paddack retired eight in a row into the 4th inning, which is when he issued a walk and then gave up a single to give the Dodgers another threat. However, they did nothing with the chance, and that was surprisingly Paddack’s last inning.
On the other side was Yoshinobu Yamamoto, who struggled a bit with his arm-side command at times, having one less walk than the rest of the season combined.
Things started with a nine-pitch walk, but he faced the minimum in the 1st thanks to a double play. He followed that with a 1-2-3 frame in the 2nd thanks to a stellar Alex Freeland defensive play.
Freeland with a great diving play to save a hit (and Freeman avoids disaster). pic.twitter.com/ugAok1k2EM
— Chad Moriyama (@ChadMoriyama) April 28, 2026
Yamamoto tried to continue that in the 3rd after getting the first two batters, but a single and a double created a big chance for the Marlins before he was able to get a flyout to strand them both.
The 4th started with further mess, as a lead-off double and then a walk put a pair on immediately. After a strikeout, another single followed to load things up, but a weird pitch clock violation on Owen Caissie led to another strikeout to put him on the verge of escape.
With the bases loaded, Caissie strikes out on a second called time or something? Seems like he struck out anyway, lol. pic.twitter.com/ds4GbahJYI
— Chad Moriyama (@ChadMoriyama) April 28, 2026
Unfortunately, Hyeseong Kim went one-for-two on the next two balls in play, and an unearned run crossed against Yamamoto to make it 2-1 Dodgers.
The struggles finally caught up to Yamamoto in the 5th, as a lead-off walk was followed by a pair of outs, but yet another walk put a pair on again and it finally caught up to him when he hung a 1-2 split to Liam Hicks for a three-run shot to give the Marlins a 4-2 lead.
Li(HIM) Hicks pic.twitter.com/LDzT4RwPFL
— Miami Marlins (@Marlins) April 28, 2026
Dave Roberts, likely realizing his ace didn’t have it, removed him after five: 5 IP, 5 H, 4 R (3 ER), 4 BB, 4 K, 87 Pitches.
Alex Vesia took over in the 6th and struck out the side despite a two-out walk, then it was Tanner Scott in the 7th who did the exact same thing. Edgardo Henriquez then got a quiet 8th inning on just eight pitches to move things along. Jake Eder entered for the 9th and continued to do his job, facing the minimum after erasing a single with a double play.
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So that kept the deficit to two, but … well, it didn’t matter much.
Against the Marlins pen, the Dodgers did nothing in the 5th and then got just a two-out walk in the 6th, but the 7th provided a huge chance. With one down, pinch-hitter Alex Call singled, and another pinch hitter in Miguel Rojas seemed to tie the game with a homer … but it was foul.
Almost Miggy Ro #Dodgers pic.twitter.com/wKKlbCfhny
— Dodgers_After_Duty (@msalas24) April 28, 2026
He later struck out, but Shohei singled and Freddie walked to load things up. Unfortunately, Will Smith fell behind early and grounded out to kill that threat.
The bats then went down in order in the 8th, but they came up and fought in the 9th.
Things started with a great at-bat from Andy Pages, who got to 2-2, fouled a ball off, and then took two balls for a walk. Dalton Rushing followed by also getting to 2-2 and then making two quality takes for a walk to put a pair on. At that point, there was a curious sac bunt choice next with Miguel Rojas despite being down two, and he popped it up. However, Shohei Ohtani then ripped a double … of the ground-rule double to cut it to 4-3 rather than tie it.
Shohei brings it within 1! 👀 #Dodgers pic.twitter.com/gT6qE7PJ0q
— SportsNet LA (@SportsNetLA) April 28, 2026
Then Freddie Freeman came up and got ahead 3-0, so they intentionally walked him. At that point, Pete Fairbanks exited with injury, so there was a delay, and Will Smith struck out to put them on the verge of a brutal loss. But no matter as Kyle Tucker came up huge with a single to center to win it 5-4.
KYLE TUCKER WALKS IT OFF! pic.twitter.com/EdxoHGjLWa
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) April 28, 2026
Clutch King Tuck. 👑 pic.twitter.com/3FvfD4YSpI
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) April 28, 2026
Kyle Tucker:
“I Love LA” 🎸 pic.twitter.com/81SD122gSD
— MLB (@MLB) April 28, 2026
His moment and he’s hilarious.
— Chad Moriyama (@chadmoriyama.bsky.social) April 27, 2026 at 7:12 PM
“Any win in this game is huge. To get that walk-off right there in front of our home fans is awesome.”
Kyle Tucker speaks with @kirsten_watson after hitting his first walk-off as a Dodger to defeat the Marlins 5-4 in the series opener. pic.twitter.com/LX8wjRt3Ij
— SportsNet LA (@SportsNetLA) April 28, 2026
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Kim finally got his 2025 World Series ring.
Prior to tonight’s game, Doc and the team presented Hyeseong with his 2025 World Series ring! pic.twitter.com/8HO0lIQQjm
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) April 28, 2026
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20-9 on the year now, their third straight.
The series continues tomorrow at the same time of 4:10 PM HT/7:10 PM PT/10:10 PM ET with Shohei Ohtani on the bump on five days rest against Janson Junk.
