The struggling Hernández had gone 17 games without a homer before taking Jeremiah Estrada deep in the sixth inning. The ball left his bat at 108.6 mph and traveled a projected 420 feet. It was his only hit of the game to go along with two strikeouts and two routine flies, but hopefully it will get him going. He had been 3-for-38 with one RBI since May 31.

It appears to be a routine off day for Hernández with Andy Pages and Michael Conforto in the outfield corners for Los Angeles to face Cardinals righty Erick Fedde at Busch Stadium. The 32-year-old veteran slugger has been ice-cold at the dish of late, hitting .074 (2-for-27) with one RBI and 11 strikeouts over his last seven games.

Hernández, who has 41 RBI in 38 games this season, was the Dodgers’ No. 4 hitter before going on the IL earlier this month, but he’d since hit behind Will Smith whenever both were in the lineup. Smith is hitting fifth tonight for the first time since May 5, which was the day before Hernández went on the IL.

Hernández mercifully pushed this game to a long awaited conclusion after a 98-minute rain delay, valiant ninth inning comeback by the Mets, and three-extra innings without a run which is inconceivable in the ghost runner era. That is, until Hernández smoked a double down the line for what became the game-winning run. His 41 RBI are just six off the major league lead despite Hernández spending two weeks on the injured list with a left groin strain.