Paula's Historic Homer Breaks Dodgers Streak
A 21-year-old's first career hit is a 416-foot blast that sets the stage for Miami's dramatic ninth-inning collapse of Los Angeles.
The sun hangs low over the Miami skyline as the atmosphere at loanDepot Park shifts from tense to electric. In the fourth inning, Josue De Paula steps to the plate, his bat poised against the dirt. When he connects, the ball soars 416 feet into the right field seats, shattering a personal drought and igniting a crowd that has waited decades for this exact moment. The crack of the bat echoes long after the ball lands, a sound that signifies a new era for the young outfielder.
Los Angeles had built a 3-0 lead on the strength of that blast, backed by Emmet Sheehan’s efficient six-inning outing. But the game’s momentum reversed with brutal speed in the late innings. The Dodgers’ bullpen, usually a fortress, crumbled under pressure. Miami scored twice in the eighth and four in the ninth, leaving the visitor’s club with zero outs in the final frame before Brock Stewart’s four-pitch walk-off ended the night in confusion.
A Historic First for a Young Gun
De Paula’s home run was more than just a score; it was a milestone that broke a chain stretching back to 1979. Before this at-bat, he had walked in his first three games, a streak unmatched since Mickey Hatcher. The 21-year-old, just 112 days older than the threshold for the season’s youngest players, had gone nine plate appearances without a hit. He even had to pocket a broken necklace during the game, a small omen of the struggle he was about to break.
As reported by Yahoo Sports, this is only the sixth time a player under 22 has homered for the Dodgers since Adrian Beltré in 2000. The club had been starved for power with runners on base in July and August, managing just six such homers in 51 games. De Paula’s three-run shot, following Kyle Tucker’s grand slam on Friday, signaled a sudden resurgence in September, where the team has now matched that number in just 12 games.
Bullpen Fractures Under Late Pressure
The collapse began in the eighth inning when Edgardo Henríquez, fresh off 11 consecutive scoreless appearances, allowed two singles and a walk. Otto Lopez’s two-run single pulled Miami within one, snapping the reliever’s streak. Tanner Scott stabilized the frame with a strikeout, but the damage was done. The Dodgers had thrown away a three-run cushion, leaving the door open for the home team’s offense to surge.
The ninth inning became a sequence of errors and desperate hits. A bad throw to Scott by Freddie Freeman set the stage for the tying run to reach base. Then Javier Sanoja doubled into the left field corner, tying the game and chasing Scott from the mound. With the winning runner on second and no one out, the pressure was palpable. Brock Stewart threw only four pitches, the last of which was deposited over the left center wall by Agustín Ramírez, sealing the 6-4 victory.
Sheehan’s Effort Fades in Defeat
Emmet Sheehan had started the game with a 10-strikeout win over Cincinnati just days prior. On Sunday, he retired his first nine batters before encountering a blip in the fourth. He allowed two singles and a walk, loading the bases but ultimately stranding all three runners. After that hiccup, he settled into two more perfect innings, pitching six scoreless frames. Yet, even his solid performance could not hold up the fragile offensive lead his team had built.
