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Cody Bellinger's eighth-inning homer lifts Los Angeles Dodgers past Minnesota Twins

By Dan Arritt, The Sports Xchange
Los Angeles Dodgers' Cody Bellinger connects for a home run. File photo by Jim Ruymen/UPI
Los Angeles Dodgers' Cody Bellinger connects for a home run. File photo by Jim Ruymen/UPI | License Photo

LOS ANGELES -- Cody Bellinger had a few sour words for himself after he slammed a long foul ball down the right field line in the eighth inning Monday night.

The Dodgers' rookie first baseman made amends later in the at-bat when he drilled a go-ahead, three-run homer, lifting Los Angeles to a 6-4 victory against the Minnesota Twins at Dodger Stadium.

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Minnesota led 4-3 before Bellinger hit the 28th home run of his rookie season off a 0-2 pitch from left-hander Taylor Rogers (5-2). Chris Taylor and Justin Turner singled before Bellinger's latest homer soared over the center field fence.

"It was a perfect opportunity, I just kind of pulled off it a little bit," Bellinger said of the foul ball that preceded his homer. "Luckily, I got another pitch to hit."

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Edward Paredes (1-0), a 30-year-old left-hander who made his major league debut Monday after 12 seasons in the minors, pitched a perfect eighth. Kenley Jansen worked around a one-out walk in the ninth to post his 25th save after blowing his first of the season Sunday against the Atlanta Braves.

"I'm glad I had the opportunity to show what I can do," Paredes said. "I'm proud of myself because sometimes you put obstacles in front of yourself."

Eddie Rosario's third extra-base hit of the game gave Minnesota a 4-3 lead in the seventh.

Miguel Sano was hit by a pitch from Dodgers reliever Josh Fields with one out, and Rosario followed with a line drive that fell in front of Taylor in left. The ball hopped over Taylor's head for a double, scoring Sano from first.

"I think (Rosario) is understanding, if he wants to compete against the lefties, he's got to stay in there a little better, and tonight he got good results," Twins manager Paul Molitor said.

After the Twins tied the score on a home run by Rosario in the sixth, they loaded the bases with one out in the inning. Fields struck out pinch hitter Max Kepler, and Yasiel Puig then made a running catch in the right field corner off a drive by Brian Dozier to keep the score tied.

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Bartolo Colon made the 515th start of his 20-year major league career and second for the Twins. The 44-year-old right-hander cruised through the first 4 1/3 innings before Yasmani Grandal and Joc Pederson hit back-to-back solo home runs to tie the score at 2-2.

Puig followed with a triple down the right field line and scored on Taylor's two-out single to center.

Colon managed to finish the fifth, the first time in his past five outings he lasted at least five innings. He gave up three runs on eight hits.

"They got very aggressive, a lot of first pitch-swings," Molitor said of the fifth inning. "I thought he threw the ball, overall, pretty well."

Dodgers starter Hyun-Jin Ryu allowed two runs and five hits in five innings after being reinstated from the 10-day disabled list earlier in the day. He missed nearly a month with a left foot contusion.

Ryu was solid through the first three innings before allowing a leadoff single to Joe Mauer in the fourth. He caught a break when Sano grounded the next pitch into a double play, but Ryu then walked Eduardo Escobar. On a 3-2 pitch and with Escobar running, Rosario doubled off the wall in left-center, moving the runner to third.

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Robbie Grossman then drew the second walk of the inning, and Jason Castro slashed the next pitch from Ryu down the left field line. Rosario scored easily, but Grossman was thrown out at the plate on a close call that was held up on review.

Grant Dayton relieved Ryu to start the sixth and gave up the solo home run to Rosario that tied the score at 3-3.

NOTES: The Dodgers recalled LHP Edward Paredes from Triple-A Oklahoma City and placed LHP Clayton Kershaw (back strain) and RHP Brandon McCarthy (blister on pitching hang) to the 10-day disabled list. Los Angeles manager Dave Roberts said he hopes Kershaw can return in four to six weeks. ... Dodgers OF Trayce Thompson was optioned to Oklahoma City and RHP Josh Ravin was recalled. ... The Twins acquired LHP Jaime Garcia, C Anthony Recker and cash considerations from the Atlanta Braves for minor league RHP Huascar Ynoa.

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