Bellinger's bat howls as Desert Dogs surge
Following a long season, the last couple weeks of the Arizona Fall League can be a grind. But that hasn't slowed down Cody Bellinger.
The Dodgers' top prospect homered, doubled and drove in five runs while teammate Andrew Stevenson collected five hits to boost Glendale to a 15-3 rout of Peoria on Monday.
"I guess I felt good for having it been Nov. 7," he said with a laugh. "I think everybody's feeling it, pitchers, hitters, but that's all part of it and you still have to come out and be successful at it. So I'm just trying to come out here every day and do my job."
Bellinger slugged a three-run shot to right in the third and followed it with a two-run double to center in the fifth. MLB.com's No. 31 overall prospect also walked and scored three times.
"It's always easier hitting when people are on base; a lot of the pressure goes on the pitcher," he said. "In those situations, I just try to bear down and barrel the ball up and hopefully make contact with it and get the runs in the best that I could."
Each time Bellinger was in the on-deck circle, he watched Stevenson work a big at-bat. The Nationals' No. 8 prospect went 5-for-6 with a homer, two RBIs and three runs.
"He's been swinging it well all year," he said of the leadoff hitter. "I've been impressed with him ever since Day 1 and he can swing it really well. I think he's going to be a good big leaguer here pretty soon."
After a slow start, Bellinger is surging of late. Including the Fall Stars Game on Saturday, the 21-year-old has seven hits -- five for extra-bases -- and 11 RBIs over his last four contests.
"I went back and watched some video and [saw] what I was doing in the season and it was completely different," he said. "My shoulder was completely in, towards the catcher [in the AFL] so I couldn't read any pitches and I was missing everything. So I just preset my shoulder and everything took care of itself after that."
The Desert Dogs tallied 15 runs on 16 hits with most of that offense coming from the first four hitters. Following Stevenson and Bellinger, ranked Cardinals prospects Harrison Bader (No. 3) and Carson Kelly (No. 11) also left the yard for Glendale. The pair combined for four hits, two homers, three RBIs and three runs to round out the top of the order.
Starter Nolan Sanburn (2-0) was the benefactor of the offensive outburst. The White Sox prospect worked around two runs on five hits and no walks with three strikeouts over five innings for the win. Nick Lee (Nationals), Ryan Sherriff (Cardinals), Rogelio Armenteros (Astros) and Ralston Cash (Dodgers) then combined for four hitless innings of relief.
In other Fall League action:
Saguaros 8, Rafters 5
Rangers prospect Scott Heineman's two-out grand slam in the eighth inning proved to be the difference as Surprise defeated Salt River. Royals No. 8 prospect Ryan O'Hearn also played a key role in the offensive outburst, going 2-for-4 with a double and an RBI. Eric Wood (Pirates) collected two hits and an RBI for the Saguaros. Across the diamond Brewers No. 7 prospect Brett Phillips went 1-for-2 with two walks and two RBIs to lead the way for Salt River. Twins prospect Randy Rosario (1-0) allowed a run on two hits in two innings to get the win for Surprise. Braves No. 27 prospect Akeel Morris allowed five unearned runs and three hits in 2/3 of an inning in a losing effort for Salt River. Box score
Scorpions 4, Solar Sox 2
Mets outfielder Tim Tebow laced a walk-off single to left to cap off a two-run rally in the bottom of the ninth in Scottsdale's win. Tebow, who walked in the second inning, reached base multiple times for the first time in his Fall League stay. Gavin Cecchini, the Mets' No. 3 prospect, started the rally with a leadoff double for his second hit of the night, and Giants prospect Ryder Jones added three knocks of his own. Top Cubs prospect Ian Happ went 2-for-3 with a triple and two RBIs in the loss for the Solar Sox. Box score