Shohei Ohtani fell short in his quest to become the National League’s first Triple Crown winner since 1937, going 1 for 4 in the game. Despite this setback, he managed to steal his 59th base, contributing to the Los Angeles Dodgers’ narrow 2-1 victory over the Colorado Rockies on Sunday, which also marked Charlie Blackmon’s final game.
Ohtani concluded the regular season leading the NL with 54 home runs and 130 RBIs. However, his .310 batting average fell just short of San Diego’s Luis Arráez, who claimed the batting title with a .314 average.
As a member of the exclusive 50-50 club, Ohtani’s 59th stolen base came during an eighth-inning rally, showcasing his remarkable speed and agility on the base paths.
The last player to achieve the Triple Crown in the NL was Joe Medwick of the St. Louis Cardinals in 1937, while Miguel Cabrera of the Detroit Tigers accomplished the feat in the American League in 2012.
Chris Taylor played a pivotal role in the game, tying it in the eighth inning with his first home run since July 7. Shortly after, Austin Barnes executed a successful steal of third base, collaborating with Ohtani in a double steal. Rockies reliever Seth Halvorsen stumbled during his delivery, leading to a balk that allowed Barnes to score.
[Related: How Shohei Ohtani, without half his powers, rewrote MLB history again and went 50/50]
Evan Phillips secured the win for the Dodgers, improving his record to 5-1, while Edgardo Henriquez notched his first career save, adding to the impressive tally of 14 saves recorded by Dodgers pitchers this season.
The Rockies initially took the lead in the second inning when Sam Hilliard blasted a 476-foot home run into the right field third deck, marking the fourth-longest homer in the major leagues this season.
Starting pitcher Ryan Feltner delivered a strong performance, allowing only two hits over six innings but did not receive a decision. The loss fell to reliever Victor Vodnik, who recorded a 5-4 record.
For Blackmon, the game was filled with emotion as he played his final game after 14 seasons with the Rockies. He finished the day with one hit in two at-bats before being replaced by a pinch-runner after his single in the third inning.
Blackmon received a heartfelt send-off during a pregame ceremony, taking a moment to soak in the applause from the fans. He leaves a legacy as the franchise’s all-time leader in triples and ranks second in games played and runs scored behind Hall of Famer Todd Helton.
The Rockies ended the season with a disappointing 61-101 record, marking their second consecutive season with over 100 losses. Attendance at Coors Field this year was 2,540,195, a slight decline from last year’s 2,607,935.
Before the game, Rockies manager Bud Black humorously avoided questions about his expiring contract, saying, “I’m not talking about me. You know that. Thank you for not asking.”
