Editorials

Cody Bellinger Bombs: Chronicling Home Run 64

Dodgers Nation will be writing about ‘Bellinger Bombs’. The Dodgers have one of the best young power hitters in the game under contract for the foreseeable future. Writers like Sam Miller have asked the question ‘What if Cody Bellinger is going to break the all-time home run record’. As the career home runs continue to pile up, we will examine each one in greater detail. We will allow you; the fan, to savor each one as they should be. Because what’s more fun than a home run? (You can look back at the collection here). 

The 64th home run in Cody Bellinger’s career was the biggest home run of his life. Regardless of how many more he hits – he will be hard pressed to find a bigger moment to hit one into the stands. Undeniably, Bellinger sent my father and I into an absolute hysteria with the ferocious swing that broke a scoreless tie in the 163rd game on the schedule.

If you’re a Bellinger fan – you had to hang in there through some tough times this year. Therefore, those who kept the faith in his immense pedigree as a ballplayer were rewarded.

As a result, you have this post. Forever honoring it right here in the great archives of Dodgers Nation, the biggest swing of his life. Just 23 years and 81 days into his life, Bellinger cemented himself a forever moment in Dodgers history.

The Home Run

One final look at the Cody Bellinger home run log at baseball-reference page as you hit replay on that video and savor the blast. Obviously, this was his first home run in a game 163 – that’s fun to write. The ball landed in right-center in the pavilion, the 18th time he’s left the yard to that part of a ballpark. It was his 46th home run off a right-hander, and 30th at Dodger Stadium. This was his ninth as the Dodgers center fielder and 10th time he’s done the act in the six-hole. Bellinger has homered five times against Colorado, and none will ever be more damning to them than this one. The blast came in the fourth inning, which is the seventh time he’s done so in that frame.

One sweet part of this? Bellinger found a way to run down Wally Moon and Wes Parker for a tie in 51st place on the Dodgers’ all-time franchise list before the season ended.

Typically, my favorite Bellinger home run is the latest one. Not anymore – this one remains my favorite until further notice.

How Bellinger’s Home Run Impacted The Game


Before this blast happened, you were nervous and so was I. Both teams were spending time feeling one another out in what felt like a coin flip game. And it was: the Dodgers held a 53 percent win expectancy when Bellinger came to the plate in the bottom of the fourth with two outs. After Bellinger homered, the win expectancy jumped to 77 percent. In my heart, I knew that we had them. It allowed for the game to play out in spectacular fashion. The Dodgers went on to win the game 5-2 and raise their sixth straight division title flag in the process. Bellinger’s home run truly set the tone.

The Victim

German Marquez, you’ve found your way here. You have turned yourself into quite the pitcher, so we will not be kicking any dust onto your grave. That said, Marquez could be a legit future ace that is coming into his own. Just 23 years old – he has a very bright future ahead of him and many duels left with Bellinger and the Dodgers.

Marquez had a great season in 2018. He allowed 24 long balls (and now 51 in his career in 65 starts), but he finishes the year with a 3.77 ERA and 230 strike outs. Coming into this start, he allowed three or less earned runs in a dozen straight starts. Marquez struck out 11 hitters FOUR different times in September starts. Before he exited the tie-breaker game on Monday, he had nine.

The Venezuelan hurler had ‘A’ stuff in this game, an important point to note. He was blowing away Dodgers hitters with ease. Kevin Millar of MLB Network after the game remarked that ‘Marquez may have almost as good of stuff as Walker Buehler’. This guy is no joke, and one of the better pitchers that Bellinger has added to his wall.

Exit Velocity, Distance, Pitch Data, and Angle

Bellinger posterized a 95 mile per hour Marquez fastball in the middle of the zone in a 1-0 count. With no marine layer to worry about in this matinee contest, the ball got out at a speed of 104 miles per hour. One of the highest home runs of Bellinger’s season, it had a launch-angle of 38 degrees at it’s highest point. I’m jealous of the folks who were live at the stadium to see this one to see what it looked like live rather than on television. You had to know it was gone off the bat, all 376 feet of it.

Overall Bellinger-Bomb Prominence Score

This was in many ways; the one. I would argue it was the biggest home run in Bellinger’s life, let alone his Dodgers’ career. The reason you should bookmark this post if you enjoy the series is that Cody may never hit a home run in a bigger spot. With the Dodgers front and center of the baseball universe, facing a flame-thrower on top of his game. A season hanging in the balance, a path undefined. In a power versus power match-up that any fan waits to see, Bellinger tanked one into the famous bleachers at Chavez.

The party was free to get underway after that, and the tone was set. If I could give this one a ’20’ on the score, I would. It’s a perfect ten, and one to truly remember forever.

Dodgers Nation Prominence HR Score: 10.0!

Dodgers Clinch 2018 Division Title!

Staff Writer

Staff Writer features content written by our site editors along with our staff of contributing writers. Thank you for your readership.

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