Freddie Freeman Sparks Eleventh-Inning Rally With Clutch Bloop Single as Dodgers Outlast Giants in Extra-Inning Showdown Victory
On a cool Sunday night in San Francisco, the Los Angeles Dodgers reminded everyone why they are one of the most dangerous teams in baseball. It wasn’t the flash of a towering home run or the dominance of a no-hit bid that won them the game—it was a soft, looping single off the bat of Freddie Freeman in the eleventh inning that sparked a decisive rally. The Dodgers would go on to defeat the San Francisco Giants 5-2 in extra innings, capping a hard-fought series and an emotional weekend rivalry with a performance that blended grit, poise, and timely execution.
Freeman’s bloop single—just barely clearing the glove of Giants second baseman Thairo Estrada—served as the spark the Dodgers needed in an offensively dormant night. After ten tense innings of trading zeros and missed opportunities, Freeman’s bat ignited a three-run outburst that proved to be the difference. It was poetic in its simplicity: a veteran hitter not trying to do too much, simply putting the ball in play, trusting the baseball gods, and starting what would become a game-winning sequence.
“I wasn’t trying to crush the ball there,” Freeman said postgame. “Just wanted to get a piece and move the runner. Sometimes that’s all it takes.”
That runner was Shohei Ohtani, who had started the eleventh inning on second base under MLB’s extra-inning rule. The at-bat highlighted Freeman’s savvy and calm under pressure, traits that have made him a cornerstone of the Dodgers’ offense. It also showcased the depth and resilience of a Dodgers team that’s been forced to win games in unconventional ways throughout the 2025 season.
The inning didn’t end with Freeman. Will Smith followed with a sharp single to left, scoring Ohtani, and Teoscar Hernández added another RBI hit to push the lead to 4-2. A sacrifice fly from Andy Pages brought home a fifth run, giving the Dodgers a cushion and relieving some of the pressure on their bullpen, which had been taxed over the weekend.
Evan Phillips came in to shut the door in the bottom of the frame, securing his 18th save of the season and sealing the Dodgers’ 54th win of the year. For manager Dave Roberts, it was a satisfying conclusion to a gritty, grind-it-out win that echoed the tone of the team’s uneven but determined first half of the season.
“That’s a big league win right there,” Roberts said. “Tough environment, great rivalry, extra innings, and guys came through. Couldn’t be more proud.”
The victory didn’t come easy. Dodgers starter Tyler Glasnow battled through five innings, allowing just one run but struggling with command. He walked four and labored through long at-bats, needing 98 pitches to get through his outing. Still, he did enough to keep the game close and gave the bullpen a manageable bridge.
The Giants struck first in the bottom of the third inning when Patrick Bailey lined a two-out RBI single to right field. But the Dodgers responded in the top of the fifth, when Teoscar Hernández continued his resurgent season with a solo homer to left. It was his 19th of the season and served as a jolt to a lineup that had been quiet through the first four innings.
From there, the game settled into a tense duel between two rival bullpens. The Dodgers used six relievers after Glasnow’s departure, with Alex Vesia, Blake Treinen, and Ryan Yarbrough all delivering scoreless frames. The most critical moment came in the bottom of the ninth, when the Giants loaded the bases with one out against Yarbrough. Roberts called upon Phillips earlier than usual, and the closer responded by inducing a double-play grounder to end the threat.
“That’s what elite closers do,” Roberts said. “When the game’s on the line, they get the job done.”
The Giants, to their credit, matched the Dodgers pitch for pitch. Starter Keaton Winn went six strong innings, giving up just one run and striking out seven. His bullpen kept the Dodgers in check until that fateful eleventh inning, where fatigue and execution finally cracked.
The win had added significance given the context of the series. The Giants had taken Friday night’s opener in walk-off fashion, only for the Dodgers to respond on Saturday with a commanding 8-2 win behind Shohei Ohtani’s three-hit night and a dominant start from Bobby Miller. Sunday’s rubber match, with both teams fighting to assert momentum heading into the All-Star break, felt more like a playoff game than a regular-season clash in July.
That playoff-like atmosphere only heightened the tension of the extra innings. For Freeman, whose bloop hit will likely be remembered less for how far it traveled and more for when it came, the moment reflected the veteran’s calm approach.
“I’ve been in a lot of these,” Freeman said. “You learn not to force it. You trust your hands, your eyes, and you do your job.”
The Dodgers now sit at 54-39, holding a slim lead in the NL West over a surging San Diego Padres team. While the record looks good on paper, the road to this point has been anything but smooth. Injuries to key arms like Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Walker Buehler, inconsistency in the bullpen, and cold streaks from key hitters have forced Roberts and the coaching staff to juggle lineups and rotate arms more frequently than they would prefer.
But Sunday night’s win was emblematic of what makes this Dodgers team dangerous regardless of the turbulence: they have a roster full of players who know how to win, and who don’t panic when the game stretches into high-pressure territory.
The team now heads into the All-Star break with four players headed to Arlington for the festivities: Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman, and Evan Phillips. It’s a strong showing for a roster that still feels like it has room to improve.
When play resumes later this week, the Dodgers will begin a crucial second-half stretch that includes games against the Yankees, Braves, and Phillies—teams they may very well see again in October. The front office is also expected to be active at the trade deadline, with starting pitching and bullpen depth the two most discussed targets. If Sunday night’s game was any indication, the Dodgers are ready to battle, regardless of what the roster looks like a few weeks from now.
“You find out who you are in games like this,” Roberts said. “You find out who can take the pressure, who’s ready to step up. Tonight, Freddie stepped up. The whole team did.”
Freeman’s bloop single may not have made the highlight reels for its exit velocity or launch angle, but it was a swing that changed the outcome of a game—and maybe the tone of a season. In a year filled with moments that have tested the Dodgers’ resolve, this was one that affirmed their identity: seasoned, smart, and clutch when it counts.
As the team takes a brief breather before the stretch run, there’s no question they’re still one of baseball’s most dangerous clubs. And if they continue to win the close ones—especially on the road, against their fiercest rivals—the second half could be even more successful than the first.
