The Associated Press
LOS ANGELES–They are two rookies on very different career paths, but Cody Bellinger and Edward Paredes worked together beautifully last night to lead the L.A. Dodgers to a 6-4 victory over the Minnesota Twins.
With the Dodgers down by a run in the eighth, it was Bellinger–cool as ever for someone who started the season as a 21-year-old–who eased into the pressure moment and delivered the big blow: a three-run homer on an 0-2 pitch.
“We saw it early–there’s no panic,” said Dodgers’ manager Dave Roberts.
“He doesn’t scare off in the moment,” Roberts added.
“It seems like he does something every night.”
The homer made a winner of Paredes, who is a rookie of a very different sort. Parades was making his major-league debut at age 30 after 12 seasons in the minors.
He threw a clean eighth inning to earn the win.
“It’s been a long road for him,” Roberts said of Paredes. “And for him to finally make his major-league debut at Dodger Stadium with a win, I know he and his family are thrilled.
“The guys were excited.”
Taylor Rogers (5-2) gave up singles to Chris Taylor and Justin Turner before Bellinger launched his 28th home run of the season–second in the National League behind Miami’s Giancarlo Stanton’s 32.
“It’s the big leagues, a hitter like that, you make a mistake, that is what happens,” Rogers said.
“I thought it was off the end [of the bat] a little bit, to be honest.”
Kenley Jansen pitched the ninth to earn his 25th save in the Dodgers’ first game since losing ace Clayton Kershaw for an undetermined time with a back injury.
Bartolo Colon, 44, made his second start for the Twins and threw four scoreless innings until running into trouble in the fifth.
The Dodgers also got back-to-back solo home runs from Yasmani Grandal and Joc Pederson, a triple from Yasiel Puig, and a run-scoring single from Chris Taylor, one of his three hits.
“Once the fifth inning came, that’s when I ran out of gas,” Colon said.
“I couldn’t have a feel for anything.”
The Twins had the bases loaded with two outs in the sixth when Brian Dozier drilled a ball into the right-field corner.
Puig initially looked like he could not get to the ball, but put on a burst of speed to make a tremendous catch just before the fence.
“That’s three runs right there,” noted Roberts.
The Chicago White Sox beat the Chicago Cubs 3-1, Houston dumped Philadelphia 13-4, Cleveland downed Cincinnati 6-2, and Miami blanked Texas 4-0 in other interleague action.
