The Detroit Tigers looked to be in a great spot after catcher Dillon Dingler hit a triple in the top of the 10th, scoring two runs and breaking a 3-3 tie with the Los Angeles Dodgers.
The Dodgers were three outs away from their first loss of the season. They started a rally when Tommy Edman crossed the plate thanks to a Michael Conforto ground-rule double, and then catcher Will Smith sent Conforto home with a single to left to tie the game at five.
Superstar Shohei Ohtani singled to right, putting two on the basepaths. Finally, shortstop Mookie Betts walked up to the plate.
He swung and missed twice, watched two balls and then fouled two off to stay alive. On the eighth pitch of the at-bat, he saw an 89-mph changeup from Detroit reliever Beau Brieske and drove it 376 feet into left field for a game-winning home run.
That homer improved the Dodgers’ record to 4-0, but on a personal level, it marked a huge moment for Betts early in the season after he struggled mightily with an illness that made it hard for him to keep food down and ultimately caused him to lose 15 pounds.
Watching the ball sail over the left field fence was a special moment for Betts, considering those struggles early this season.
“That was super special,” Betts said after the game, according to Alden Gonzalez. “I know it sounds super selfish, but more for me. I was really proud of myself for coming in and playing underweight. Not that it’s a big deal playing underweight, but just the fight that I’ve kind of been through — the ups and downs, and the nights I’m just crying because I’m sick, and my wife’s there holding me. That’s where the emotion comes from.”