New Headline: Hernández Smashes Opponents in a Third Straight Dominant Victory

Puerto Rican rapper Young Miko, left, and Kiké Hernández pose for a photo before Miko tossed the ceremonial first pitch before a WBC game between Panama and Puerto Rico in San Juan, Puerto Rico on March 7. Team Puerto Rico won in 10 innings on a walk-off homer. (Fernando Llano / Associated Press) A three-time World Series champion, Dodgers utilityman Kiké Hernández has had his fair share of clutch hits, home runs and game-saving, series-defining moments that will forever be etched in baseball lore.

Earlier this month, however, he witnessed something new. On March 7, hours after Atlanta Braves second baseman Ozzie Albies hit the first walk-off home run in World Baseball Classic history to power Team Netherlands past Nicaragua in Miami, Athletics prospect Darell Hernaiz delivered a game-winning blast of his own to lift Team Puerto Rico over Panama in extra innings in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Hernández stormed out of the dugout at Hiram Bithorn Stadium alongside his teammates to greet Hernaiz at home plate and celebrate the monumental moon shot.

Read more: Blake Snell throws first bullpen session of spring training, taking key step forward “There had never been a walk-off homer in the history of the WBC, and we [got] to see two in the same day, which was pretty cool,” Hernández said at his clubhouse stall at Camelback Ranch. “For me personally, I was running to home plate, conscious that I wasn’t necessarily part of the team so I couldn’t run laps around home plate, like I did on Freddie [Freeman’s] walk-off homers [in the World Series], but it’s still up there as one of those really cool moments that I’ll always remember. ” Unable to participate in this year’s WBC as he recovers from offseason left elbow surgery, Hernández left Dodgers camp to spend the first leg of the tournament with Team Puerto Rico.

“I got to experience it in a different way this year,” said Hernández, who has played twice in the WBC. “I was just kind of there as a fan, almost in like a coaching role. I get a lot more nervous when I’m not playing, because I really don’t have any power over it.