Bellinger takes MLB lead as Dodgers hit 7 HRs
Ken Gurnick
@kengurnickLOS ANGELES -- Cody Bellinger reclaimed the MLB lead in home runs on Labor Day with his 44th, even if he only finished tied for third in home runs hit during the Dodgers’ 16-9 slugfest win over the Rockies at Dodger Stadium.
Joc Pederson and Chris Taylor homered twice each, Pederson barely missing a third before he left the game with an abdominal bruise sustained crashing into the wall and stealing a home run from Charlie Blackmon. Corey Seager and Matt Beaty also homered for the Dodgers, while the Rockies went deep four times.
“It was a Coors Field game tonight,” said manager Dave Roberts, whose club homered eight times at home on Opening Day. “The ball was jumping.”
Bellinger’s home run came in garbage time, but it pulled him into third in franchise history for home runs in a single season behind Shawn Green (49) and Adrian Beltre (48). Bellinger also homered on Sunday, after going 12 games between blasts. Monday night’s home run came after three walks, two intentional.
“You can see the league doesn’t want him to beat them,” said Roberts. “So there’s a lot of intentional passes, some unintentional-intentional walks. But for him to take the walks and pass the baton, keep the line moving, that’s good. For him to take the left-on-left [homer vs. Jake McGee] -- he got into that one.”
The Dodgers extended their club single-season record for home runs, now 245. Pederson’s pair gave him 30, joining Bellinger and Max Muncy to give the Dodgers a trio with at least that many. Pederson also had his seventh leadoff home run of the season and 18th of his career. Taylor’s home runs took his total to 11, giving the Dodgers 11 players in double-digits.
The game also saw Dodgers top prospect Gavin Lux debut with a double, single and three runs scored in a start at second base.
All of that firepower allowed the Dodgers to overcome a disappointing start from Walker Buehler, who was roughed up for six runs on eight hits in five innings. He allowed homers to Trevor Story and Nolan Arenado but improved to 12-3 overall and 6-0 at home.
Kenta Maeda, sent to the bullpen before the game, pitched the final four innings for a save, despite allowing back-to-back ninth-inning home runs to Ryan McMahon and Ian Desmond, who pitched one inning for the Rockies.