LOS ANGELES, CA — Who would have thought that the first extra-inning Dodgers game of 2026 would be on Monday night—more than halfway into the regular season?
Up 6-1 on Colorado after four innings and then 6-3 in the ninth inning with three outs to go, Tanner Scott, attempting to seal it, blew the lead by giving up three runs on three hits which allowed the Rockies to tie the score at six apiece after nine.
All of 48,245 in Dodger Stadium were just as stunned as those tuned in from home.
The Dodgers had to go to their first extra inning game of the 2026 season Monday night vs. Colorado after a blown save from Tanner Scott in the ninth inning – Image Credit: Emma Sharon/Latino Sports
The Dodgers had gone through 91 consecutive nine inning games before having to go to extra innings Monday evening—the second longest mark since the 2005 Red Sox who went 99 games. Their last extra inning game was in Game 7 of the 2025 World Series vs. Toronto and we all remember how that ended.
Before the blown lead and comeback formulating for the Rockies, Shohei Ohtani went three for four, which started with a first-pitch 379-foot, two-run home run in the third inning that went into the left field pavilion—his 19th of the season and 299th of his career. He followed that up with a two-run single that gave him four RBI on the night.
But the hero of it all for LA was Dalton Rushing, who went three for five with two blistering doubles and a walk-off single in the bottom of the 11th inning to send the crowd home with a win and a Freddie Freeman 18-inning 2024 World Series walk-off home run bobblehead.
Add to that, the 25-year-old’s superb work as a catcher, including three very difficult foul pop outs and crucial plays at home when the Rockies attempted to score late in the game.
He has been performing at a high level for the Dodgers—currently without their All-Star catcher, Will Smith, who has been out almost a month (29 days) due to neck inflammation and an inflamed disc.
On Colorado’s side, Rockies starter LHP Kyle Freeland showed why he is 2-8 with an ERA of 7.46 now, leaving the game with a line of five innings pitched, six runs, and one home run. He threw 72 pitches, of which 46 were strikes.
Meanwhile Dodgers starter Eric Lauer, moving to 3-0 since being picked up from Toronto on May 17th, provided LA with six solid innings, giving up six hits, three runs, and one home run. He threw 99 pitches, 69 for strikes.
But the presence of Rushing in the Dodgers’ lineup as well as behind the dish has been something special to this powerful club. He has not been just a fill-in in the absence of Smith, he has proven he belongs at this level with his toughness and the skills he brings to the game.
With Will Smith on the IL, Dalton Rushing has stepped up in big ways for the Dodgers behind the dish and in the batter’s box – Image Credit: Francisco Rodriguez/Latino Sports
“I think the more you play, the less you think about the 0-for-4 nights, or whatever it may be,” Rushing said in Monday’s postgame. “In the past, you have a rough game, I have to sit there on it for a few days and kind of think about it… I’m having fun enjoying the game and winning a lot of baseball games. That’s what I care about.”
The 8-7 win in eleven innings brought the Dodgers’ record to 60-32 with five games remaining before the All-Star break. They are now 14.5 games ahead of the Diamondbacks and 15 up on San Diego in the National League Western Division.
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