LOS ANGELES — On June 18, 2025, Will Smith delivered a jaw-dropping 12-pitch home run in the sixth inning, igniting an 8-6 victory for the Los Angeles Dodgers over the San Diego Padres at Dodger Stadium. This clutch blast, part of a five-run outburst, propelled the Dodgers to a 4-1 record against their NL West rivals during a heated seven-game stretch in 11 days, sending fans into a frenzy and trending across MLB circles.
Smith’s heroics came after a grueling 12-pitch battle with Padres reliever Jeremiah Estrada, whose night unraveled as he surrendered five runs without recording an out in the sixth. The go-ahead homer, a towering shot to left field, flipped a tight game and showcased Smith’s patience and power. Andy Pages stole the spotlight with two home runs among his four hits, driving in three runs, while Tommy Edman’s two-run double sealed the inning’s dominance. The Dodgers, leaning on a bullpen effort with six pitchers—one night after using seven in a 6-3 win—improved to 45-27 on the season.
For the Padres (34-38), the loss marked their fifth in six games since June 4, dropping them to 4-9 in that span. Trenton Brooks smashed his first MLB homer, a two-run shot in the seventh, and Luis Arraez notched three hits with an RBI, but it wasn’t enough to overcome San Diego’s late collapse.
The game saw early fireworks when Gavin Sheets put the Padres ahead 1-0 with a first-inning single. The Dodgers countered in the second with Max Muncy’s sacrifice fly and Pages’ first homer, taking a 2-1 lead. The sixth inning proved decisive, with Smith’s homer and Edman’s double turning a 3-1 deficit into an 8-1 cushion. San Diego fought back in the seventh, with Brooks’ homer and a balk by Michael Kopech allowing Fernando Tatis Jr. to score, narrowing it to 8-6. A bases-loaded threat in the eighth fizzled out, sealing their fate.
Left-hander Tanner Scott, facing his former team, closed it out with a perfect ninth for his 14th save. Matt Sauer (2-1) earned the win despite yielding three runs in 2 1/3 innings, while Estrada’s meltdown handed the Padres a tough loss.
Tensions flared in the third when Tatis and Shohei Ohtani were hit by pitches, prompting warnings to both benches. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts was ejected after arguing the call, adding fuel to the rivalry’s fire.
As the series continues on June 19, 2025, at 10:10 AM +07, the Dodgers aim to extend their dominance, while the Padres seek redemption. Smith’s epic at-bat and Pages’ power surge have set the stage for a must-watch NL West showdown, captivating baseball fans worldwide.