Kyle Tucker’s 2-out, 2-run single in the 9th inning leads Dodgers past Marlins 5-4

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Kyle Tucker singled in the tying and go-ahead runs with two outs in the bottom of the ninth, rallying the Los Angeles Dodgers past the Miami Marlins 5-4 on Monday night in the series opener.

It was Tucker's only hit of the game after starting 0 for 4.

Jake Eder (1-0) earned his first major league victory, allowing one hit in one inning of relief.

The Dodgers improved to 3-7 when trailing after seven innings.

Marlins closer Pete Fairbanks (0-2) walked Andy Pages and he scored on Shohei Ohtani’s ground-rule double in the ninth, pulling the Dodgers to 4-3. Pinch-hitter Dalton Rushing walked and Freddie Freeman was intentionally walked to load the bases before Tyler Phillips replaced Fairbanks, who appeared to have a physical issue.

Phillips struck out Will Smith, leaving the Dodgers down to their last out. Tucker singled to center, scoring Ohtani and Rushing.

Liam Hicks gave the Marlins a 4-2 lead with a three-run homer off World Series MVP Yoshinobu Yamamoto in the fifth.

Facing an 0-2 count, Hicks connected on a 92-mph splitter with two outs in the fifth that landed in the lower right-field seats, scoring Jakob Marsee and Xavier Edwards, who both walked.

Yamamoto gave up four runs and five hits over five innings in his shortest outing of the season. The right-hander struck out four and walked a season-high four. His streak of five consecutive quality starts to open the season ended.

Marlins starter Chris Paddack allowed two runs and four hits in four innings. He struck out one.

Down 4-2, the Dodgers left the bases loaded in the seventh. Pinch-hitter Alex Call and Ohtani singled and Freeman walked before Smith grounded out against reliever Andrew Nardi to end the inning.

The Marlins trailed 2-1 when Otto Lopez scored on shortstop Hyeseong Kim's fielding error in the fourth.

The Dodgers led 2-0 in the first. Teoscar Hernández's two-out RBI single scored Ohtani and Freeman, who singled back-to-back to open the inning.

Marlins RHP Janson Junk (1-2, 3.67 ERA) starts Tuesday against Dodgers RHP Shohei Ohtani (2-0, 0.38).

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

Miami Marlins starting pitcher Chris Paddack delivers during the first inning of a baseball game against the Los Angeles Dodgers, Monday, April 27, 2026, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)

Miami Marlins center fielder Jakob Marsee, left, fields a single hit by Los Angeles Dodgers' Freddie Freeman during the first inning of a baseball game Monday, April 27, 2026, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)

Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto delivers during the first inning of a baseball game against the Miami Marlins, Monday, April 27, 2026, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)

Miami Marlins designated hitter Liam Hicks runs the bases after hitting a three-run home run during the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Los Angeles Dodgers Monday, April 27, 2026, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)

Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani grounds out to Miami Marlins first baseman Connor Norby during the fifth inning of a baseball game Monday, April 27, 2026, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)

Iranian snooker player Hossain Vafaei hopes he can bring some happiness to his nation during his emotion-filled run at the world championship that has already seen him oust the sport’s No. 1 player, Judd Trump.

Vafaei, the world No. 32 nicknamed the “Prince of Persia,” said he has been “all over the place” mentally in recent months during the Iran war, questioning whether he should even be competing in tournaments.

Yet he decided he wanted to “fight for my people” and came through qualifying to reach the world championship at the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield, where he thrashed former semifinalist Si Jiahui 10-3 in the biggest upset of the first round.

On Monday, Vafaei secured perhaps the biggest victory of his career by keeping his cool in a final-frame decider to beat Trump 13-12 and reach the quarterfinals for the first time.

“I don’t know (whether) to be happy. I don’t know (whether) to be sad,” Vafaei said. “I don’t know what to do.

“It’s just, this is the only thing I can do. With my cue, I can do something for them to make them happy at least. To show that the Iran flag is there ... and you still can’t raise it.”

Vafaei said he has found it hard to focus on snooker because of concerns about the safety of his family during the war.

“I was getting sometimes sad, with what’s happening,” he said. “And I don’t want to open up, but yes, I decided to fight, fight for my people, and all the Iranians all over the world.

“And hopefully I can make them happy.”

Asked how he felt about representing a wider cause than just being a sportsperson, Vafaei said: “I am not thinking about all this. Everything I am doing is from the bottom of my heart. There are lots of things going on (in Iran). Even if I win the trophy, it’s nothing.”

Vafaei will take on Wu Yize of China in the quarterfinals starting Tuesday.

AP sports: https://apnews.com/sports

Hossein Vafaei during his match against Si Jiahui on day six of the World Snooker Championship 2026 at the Crucible Theatre, Sheffield, England, Thursday April 23, 2026. (Richard Sellers/PA via AP)

England's Judd Trump, left, during his match with Iran's Hossein Vafaei, right, on day ten of the World Snooker Championship 2026, in Sheffield, England, Monday April 27, 2026. (Nigel French/PA via AP)

Hossein Vafaei during his match against Si Jiahui on day six of the World Snooker Championship 2026 at the Crucible Theatre, Sheffield, England, Thursday April 23, 2026. (Richard Sellers/PA via AP)