The Los Angeles Dodgers had several contributors in their 10-1 win over the Colorado Rockies on Friday night, with Cody Bellinger and Chris Taylor arguably being the most encouraging.
Bellinger hit his first home run since August 21, and Taylor last had a three-hit performance on June 26. Both players were part of the Dodgers scoring a season-high eight runs in one inning that helped the Dodgers break the game open.
“It’s important because I think that the process is one thing, but guys still want to get hits,” manager Dave Roberts said of Bellinger and Taylor.
“And as we close out the regular season, they want to feel good about themselves and have that confidence going into the postseason. And tonight was was a good thing. So the expectation is to continue to build on that.”
Meanwhile, Bellinger told Kirsten Watson on SportsNet LA his recent success is a byproduct of :
“Honestly, just staying within myself on an everyday basis. Hitting the ball hard, seeing the ball well, just focusing on the little things and the ball will find some holes eventually.”
Bellinger recently went through a stretch where he hit safely in six of nine games, but that was followed by going hitless throughout the series against the San Diego Padres. At the beginning of September, Bellinger went without a hit in six consecutive games.
The multi-hit game in the series opener against the Rockies was Bellinger’s fourth such performance in September.
Dave Roberts: Cody Bellinger finding better control
When Bellinger was going through a recent upswing at the plate, Roberts believed it had to do with being under more control.
“He’s a lot more controlled with his body. When you’re talking about controlling the lower half of the body, then the head stays more still,” Roberts explained.
“He’s controlling the strike zone really well, he’s taking much better swings and having great at-bats.”
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