Kiké reaches 10-year milestone, sets stage for walk-off win

LOS ANGELES -- It was a day full of celebration for Kiké Hernández.

As he celebrated reaching the 10-year mark in service time, a milestone that not many players who have played in the Major Leagues are able to reach, Hernández was welcomed by his wife, sisters, parents and dogs at his home to celebrate his achievement. Hernández’s wife, Mariana, prepared a one-hour video of family, friends and teammates giving the Dodgers' utilityman their congratulations.

Once he got to the stadium and the lights turned on, Hernández showed why he has defeated the odds and stuck around in the Majors for this long. Over the course of his career, he’s had a knack for delivering in big situations.

Hernández did just that on Saturday, launching a game-tying homer in the ninth off former Dodgers closer Kenley Jansen and tying the game once again in the 10th with an RBI single to help L.A. complete a 7-6 comeback win over Boston in 11 innings at Dodger Stadium.

Fittingly enough, it was also Hernández who scored the winning run on Will Smith’s bases-loaded walk-off single.

“It’s been a day of a lot of reflection,” Hernández said. “It’s hard to sit back and appreciate what you’ve done or what the game has done for you. … It’s funny how things work. Obviously, I’ve played for four teams and two of them have been the majority of my career, and I get to celebrate my tenure here at Dodger Stadium playing in a Dodger uniform, even though it looks a little different. … It’s a beautiful thing.”

It’s been a difficult season offensively for Hernández, who has had to adjust to a part-time role against mostly left-handed pitching. He came into Saturday’s game hitting below .200 and had only taken 23 plate appearances in July. On Saturday, Hernández came off the bench once again, but this time, he was able to get things going for the Dodgers.

With Los Angeles down a run in the ninth, it was a familiar scene at Dodger Stadium. Jansen was walking out of the bullpen, a sight the Dodgers saw many times for more than a decade. This time, however, there was no “California Love” blaring from the speakers, and the Dodgers were hoping for their longtime closer to blow the save.

Hernández had only faced Jansen once in his career, a broken-bat flyout on a two-seamer. After the out, Hernández said Jansen playfully yelled at him to “stop cheating on the cutter.” This time, Hernández did get a cutter he could handle and smashed it deep into the left-field bleachers.

“If he did [say something], I didn’t hear it because the stadium was loud and I was kind of blacked out because it had been a while since I did something in a big moment in this stadium,” Hernández said. “It was a little bit of a blackout and enjoying the moment, but I’m sure he might have some words tomorrow.”

An inning later, with the Dodgers trailing by one once again, Hernández came up with two outs and Andy Pages, who drove in the first run of the frame with an RBI double, standing in scoring position.

Hernández quickly fell behind 0-2 in the count against right-hander Greg Weissert. He took a few deep breaths and said he reminded himself that “there’s nobody better in these situations.” He turned out to be right, as he sent a 3-2 sinker up the middle to tie the game in the 10th.

“Too bad I sent him a good bottle of wine over there, so now he can celebrate,” said Red Sox manager Alex Cora. “Even when he’s struggling, he’s a threat. He’s a guy that, he likes the big moments.”

The big moments are why the Dodgers decided to re-sign Hernández in the spring. Those games are approaching quickly. But before all that happens, Hernández ended Saturday the same way it began. He was welcomed inside the Dodgers' clubhouse with glasses of champagne in celebration on a day that will be impossible to forget.

“It was a really good memory for him, being the player of the game and hitting the game-tying home run,” said Dodgers manager Dave Roberts. “Another big hit to tie the game up late, so really happy for him, really proud of him and it was a good series win for us.”