LOS ANGELES — April 29, 2026 —
Marlins Edge Dodgers Late, Snap Tight Pitchers’ Duel at Dodger Stadium
The Miami Marlins scratched across a go-ahead run in the eighth inning and held on to defeat the Los Angeles Dodgers 3–2 on Wednesday afternoon at UNIQLO Field at Dodger Stadium. First pitch came at 12:10 PM PDT, and a crowd of 50,555 watched a tightly close game from start to finish.
With the loss, the Dodgers fell to 20–11, still holding first place in the NL West, while the Marlins improved to 15–16, surprisingly in second in the NL East.
Late-Inning Swing Proves Decisive
Miami struck first in the second inning when Liam Hicks launched a solo home run off Tyler Glasnow to give the Marlins a 1–0 lead, but LA answered immediately in the bottom half, as Alex Call delivered an RBI single to tie the game.
The Marlins regained the lead in the fifth on another solo homer, this time from the former Dodger Esteury Ruiz, making it 2–1. Once again, the Dodgers responded when Kyle Tucker doubled in the sixth and came around to score on Dalton Rushing’s RBI single to even things at 2–2.
The Dodgers loaded the bases in the 9th, with just one out, so there was plenty of game left, but the game-winning blow for the Marlins came in the eighth inning. Javier Sanoja dropped in a soft RBI single that plated Xavier Edwards, giving Miami a 3–2 advantage they would not relinquish, despite having to turn a double play to save the day for them.
Glasnow Sharp, Bullpen Falters Late
Tyler Glasnow delivered a strong outing despite the loss, pitching 5.2 innings while allowing just 2 earned runs on 3 hits, striking out 9. He consistently overpowered the Marlin hitters but gave up two solo home runs. While solo home runs usually don’t beat you, especially with an offense as good as the Dodgers’, they went a long way today, because the Dodgers are struggling to score.
“I felt like I had good stuff today, just a couple pitches that got too much plate,” Glasnow said.
The Dodgers’ bullpen was solid early. Alex Vesia escaped a sixth-inning jam, and the relief group kept the game tied until the eighth. However, Will Klein (1–2, 2.77 ERA) allowed the go-ahead run, taking the loss. Klein has been fantastic this year, so put that in the “it’s baseball” category.
Alcantara Battles, Bullpen Locks It Down
Sandy Alcantara matched Glasnow pitch-for-pitch, tossing 6 innings, giving up just 2 runs on 7 hits. He worked around traffic throughout and kept the Dodgers from stringing together big innings by winning the big moments.
Miami’s bullpen sealed the win. Andrew Nardi earned the victory, John King bridged the eighth, and Calvin Faucher closed the door in the ninth despite issuing three walks.
Offensive Breakdown and Trends
The Dodgers’ offense showed flashes but struggled in key moments, finishing 2-for-11 with runners in scoring position and leaving nine men on base. They grounded into three double plays, including two by Freddie Freeman—one to end the game.
“We had chances. Just didn’t capitalize the way we needed to,” Freeman said.
Dalton Rushing continued his standout season, going 1-for-3 with an RBI and raising his average to .348 with a 1.271 OPS. Alex Call added an RBI hit, while Max Muncy and Kyle Tucker each contributed doubles.
Shohei Ohtani went hitless (0-for-2) but reached base three times via walks and stole a base.
As a unit, the Dodgers’ offense has cooled slightly in recent games, struggling to deliver timely hits despite still getting a lot of runners on base.
“We’re getting guys on base, but we’ve got to find a way to bring them in consistently,” manager Dave Roberts said.
Marlins’ Key Performers
Miami managed just six hits but made them count:
Esteury Ruiz: 2-for-4, HR, RBI (.333, 1.166 OPS)
Liam Hicks: 1-for-2, HR, 2 BB, RBI (.315, .941 OPS)
Javier Sanoja: 1-for-2, go-ahead RBI (.323, .753 OPS)
Xavier Edwards: 1-for-4, run scored (.336, .883 OPS)
Despite going just 1-for-8 with runners in scoring position, the Marlins capitalized on late opportunities, and in close, low-scoring games, taking advantage of your opportunities when you get them is the name of the game.
Dodgers’ Top Performers
Dalton Rushing: 1-for-3, RBI (.348, 1.271 OPS)
Alex Call: 1-for-3, RBI (.310, .838 OPS)
Max Muncy: 1-for-3, double (.287, .968 OPS)
Kyle Tucker: 1-for-3, double, run (.241, .702 OPS)
Looking Ahead
The Dodgers remain atop the NL West at 20–11 and will look to bounce back when they travel to take on St. Louis, who are off to a relatively good start at 16-3 and in 3rd place of the NL Central.
“It’s a long season. We’ll regroup and come ready tomorrow,” Roberts said.
