Detroit Tigers at Los Angeles Dodgers: Final Score & Recap

The Los Angeles Dodgers defeated the Detroit Tigers 8-3 on September 18, 2023, at Dodger Stadium, in a game that was never truly in doubt after the DiamondIQ model's pre-game home win probability of 68 percent climbed steadily to 100 percent by the final out. Los Angeles built its advantage methodically, holding Detroit scoreless through four innings before the Tigers briefly threatened with a three-run fifth, but the Dodgers had already done the bulk of their damage by then.

The decisive stretch came in the third inning, when J.D. Martinez launched a home run off Eduardo Rodriguez that added 18.3 percent to Los Angeles's win probability, the single most impactful play of the game. Martinez had already made his presence felt in the second inning with another home run off Rodriguez, that shot worth an additional 7.4 percent in win probability. Combined, his two-homer performance accounted for a staggering plus-26.0 percent WPA and plus-4.5 RE24, making him the game's dominant offensive force. Detroit's Jake Rogers provided the lone significant counter-swing, connecting for a home run off Lance Lynn in the top of the fifth that generated a plus-16.9 percent win-probability jump, but the Tigers could not sustain any further momentum. Enrique Hernandez added a single off José Cisnero in the sixth worth 7.0 percent, continuing to push the Dodgers' margin.

On the pitching side, the Los Angeles bullpen closed efficiently, with Alex Vesia leading relievers at plus-6.4 percent WPA, followed by Caleb Ferguson at plus-5.0 percent and Trey Wingenter at plus-4.8 percent. Miguel Rojas rounded out the Dodgers' notable contributors with a plus-5.8 percent WPA and plus-1.0 RE24 at the plate. Detroit finished with six hits and no errors but was unable to generate any sustained threat after its fifth-inning burst, and the DiamondIQ model reflects just how one-sided the evening ultimately was.