Will Smith didn't even have his cleats dirty for most of Wednesday night. The Dodgers catcher was riding the bench deep into the game—until the ninth inning called his name. What happened next? Absolute fireworks. Smith stepped up cold, saw just three pitches, and sent the third one screaming over the fence in right field. Not just a home run—a record-setting, pinch-hit, walk-off rocket that ended the game in dramatic, Hollywood fashion.
Yeah, it was that kind of night at Dodger Stadium.
Let’s rewind a bit. The Dodgers and Padres were tied 3-3 heading into the bottom of the ninth. The game had already seen its fair share of twists—timely hitting, missed opportunities, and a clutch rally by San Diego just moments earlier. But as it turned out, the biggest moment was yet to come, and Will Smith was about to take center stage.
⚾ 9th Inning Chaos, Meet Calm Determination
Padres reliever Robert Suarez came in throwing heat. His first pitch? A blazing 97.2-mph fastball—Smith fouled it off. The second? A 96.6-mph sinker—again, Smith stayed alive. Then came the third: a 90.9-mph changeup, hanging right in the middle of the strike zone. Big mistake. Smith didn’t miss. With one powerful swing, he launched the ball 377 feet, clearing the right-field fence and sending the Chavez Ravine crowd into a frenzy.
Drop the mic—or, in this case, the bat.
That solo blast did more than just win the game 4-3. It etched Smith’s name into Dodgers lore. It was his third career pinch-hit, walk-off home run, setting a new franchise record. Before this, he was tied with Rick Monday. Now, he stands alone—and is just three shy of Jason Giambi’s all-time MLB record (six). Not bad company to keep.
📈 Quiet Night, Until It Wasn’t
Interestingly, the Dodgers’ offense wasn’t exactly firing on all cylinders through most of the game. Not a single player managed more than one hit. But they found ways to chip away, thanks to timely contributions:
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Andy Pages logged a double and an RBI via a sac fly.
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Dalton Rushing delivered a clutch two-run single in the fifth inning.
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Starter Emmet Sheehan did his part too, holding the Padres to just one run on three hits over four innings—though he didn’t figure into the final decision.
🔁 Padres' Ninth-Inning Push
Before Smith's heroics, the Padres had clawed their way back into the game. Down 3-1 heading into the top of the ninth, they mounted a rally:
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Luis Arraez led off with a single.
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Manny Machado and Gavin Sheets reached next, loading the bases.
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Jake Cronenworth cut the lead to one with a sac fly.
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Then Xander Bogaerts laced a two-out RBI double to tie the game at 3-3.
It looked like extra innings were on the horizon—until Will Smith decided otherwise.
💬 “He’s the Best Catcher in Baseball”
Dodgers skipper Dave Roberts wasn’t shy about praising Smith after the game.
“He’s the best catcher in baseball,” Roberts said. “He’s going to be a starter in the All-Star Game. He’s just a tough, young ballplayer. Going through the injuries and still never making an excuse for it.”
And Roberts might be right. Smith’s stats this season speak for themselves: He’s hitting a National League-best .333 with 8 home runs and 41 RBIs in just 59 games. That’s production you can’t ignore—and now he’s adding clutch legend to his résumé.
🌟 All-Star Caliber and Then Some
Smith is on track to make his third All-Star appearance, and if there was any debate before, it’s over now. This guy isn’t just a solid backstop—he’s one of the most dangerous hitters in high-leverage spots. That’s the kind of player championship teams are built around.
Also, let's not overlook his grit. He’s battled injuries, he’s played through discomfort, and he’s never once used any of it as an excuse. On Wednesday, he came in cold, fouled off two heaters, and still managed to crush the biggest pitch of the night. That’s elite stuff.
🔥 Dodgers Keep Rolling
The win marked the fifth straight for the Dodgers, who improved to 46-29. They’re now sitting comfortably atop the National League West, with a 4.5-game cushion over the San Francisco Giants (41-33). The Padres, after that gut-punch loss, dropped to 39-34, now six games behind L.A.
And guess what? The two teams will do it all over again in the series finale on Thursday night, 10:10 p.m. EDT at Dodger Stadium. If the fireworks are anything like Wednesday’s, you won’t want to miss it.
🎯 Quick Hits:
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Will Smith sets Dodgers record for most pinch-hit, walk-off home runs (3).
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Tied for second all-time in MLB history for such homers; needs 3 more to catch Jason Giambi.
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Smith batting .333 with 8 HRs and 41 RBIs in 59 games.
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Dodgers on 5-game win streak, 1st in NL West.
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Padres rally in 9th falls short as Smith delivers walk-off dagger.
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