Spanish
LOS ANGELES. – In a game filled with tension and drama, Will Smith emerged from the bench to become the Dodgers' hero, connecting a walk-off home run that left the Arizona Diamondbacks on the field and sealed the 5-4 victory this Sunday at Dodger Stadium. With this decisive hit, Los Angeles avoided the sweep.
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The Los Angeles team had been pointed out by its own manager, Dave Roberts, as an "unrecognizable" team after the defeats in the first two games of the series, where the offense and defense did not respond. However, tenacity appeared at the key moment, led by Smith, who with his fourth walk-off home run as a pinch hitter placed second on the MLB historical list in that department, only behind Jason Giambi (6). Japanese opener Yoshinobu Yamamoto shone on the mound, signing seven quality innings with 10 strikeouts – tying his personal best in the Major Leagues – without walks and allowing just one run. The right-hander's work kept the Dodgers in the game, supported by an attack that early made a difference with a run-scoring double by Freddie Freeman and a productive play by Cuban Andy Pagés. In the eighth inning, a three-run homer by Corbin brought Arizona closer and tied the score, but Smith's walk-off hit in the ninth ultimately defined a duel that revitalizes Los Angeles in the fight for the National League West lead.
