MIAMI — Josue De Paula turned his first major league hit into a three-run home run, and Emmet Sheehan delivered six scoreless innings. But an afternoon that offered the Dodgers plenty to celebrate ended with them watching the Miami Marlins celebrate instead.
Pinch-hitter Agustín Ramírez hit a two-run, walk-off homer off Brock Stewart on Sunday at loanDepot Park, completing a four-run ninth inning that handed the Dodgers a 6-4 loss. Los Angeles carried a 3-0 lead into the eighth and a 4-2 advantage into the ninth before its bullpen let both slip away.
The Dodgers fell to 90-59 with their second consecutive loss following an eight-game winning streak. Miami took two of three games over the weekend and won the season series, 4-2. Reuters
Tanner Scott entered the ninth with a two-run cushion after Mookie Betts’ RBI double in the top half of the inning. That cushion disappeared against the first three batters Scott faced.
Xavier Edwards and Jakob Marsee opened with consecutive infield singles, bringing the potential winning run to the plate. Javier Sanoja followed with a two-run double to tie the score, ending Scott’s outing without an out recorded.
Stewart replaced Scott, but the pitching change could not stop Miami’s rally. Ramírez drove a 2-1 fastball over the left-center field wall, completing the comeback and sending the Dodgers to Cincinnati with a series loss. Scott was charged with the defeat, dropping to 1-6.
The finish overshadowed a memorable performance by De Paula, the 21-year-old rookie promoted from Double-A on Friday after Shohei Ohtani went on the injured list. De Paula homered, doubled and walked, providing the Dodgers’ first three runs with one swing in the fourth inning.
Will Smith opened the inning with a double, and Kyle Tucker walked before De Paula launched a fastball from Eury Pérez 416 feet into the upper-deck seats in right field. His first career hit gave Los Angeles a 3-0 lead and put Sheehan in position to earn a victory.
Sheehan did his part, allowing only two hits and striking out five over six shutout innings. Pérez allowed three runs over five innings, with De Paula’s homer accounting for all the scoring against him.
Miami finally broke through in the eighth when Otto Lopez delivered a two-run single, cutting the Dodgers’ lead to 3-2. Betts answered with his RBI double in the ninth, but the additional run proved insufficient.
Dax Fulton recorded the final two outs in the top of the ninth and earned the victory, improving to 2-0. The Marlins improved to 74-76.
Before the game, Miami inducted former pitcher Dontrelle Willis into its Hall of Fame. The three-game series drew 96,187 fans, including a season-high crowd of 34,814 on Saturday.
The Dodgers open their series at Cincinnati on Monday, with left-hander Tarik Skubal scheduled to start. Skubal enters with a 9-7 record and a 2.84 ERA.