Josh Bell is not worried about the Home Run Derby messing with the considerable mojo he has built during his breakout season. Quite the opposite. Bell is pumped for the chance to step into the batter’s box and swing for the fences with everyone in baseball watching.
So pumped, in fact, he has already started practicing.
The first-time All-Star on Monday smashed three home runs to boost his season total to 25, leading the Pittsburgh Pirates to an 18-5 rout of the Chicago Cubs.
Photo: AP
Bell, who will be part of the eight-man derby field in Cleveland, Ohio, next week, hit a three-run shot off rookie Adbert Alzolay (1-1) in the first inning, a two-run drive off Alzolay in the second and finished off a four-hit, seven-RBI night by taking new Chicago closer Craig Kimbrel deep in the eighth as Pittsburgh began a pivotal seven-game homestand by pounding out a season-high 23 hits.
“Hopefully, that turns the corner for me a little bit and I can get back on track,” said Bell, who might have matched his entire home run total from last month in one game if not for a screamer to deep left field in the fifth that died at the wall.
Bell almost singlehandedly carried the injury-ravaged Pirates through May, when he smacked a dozen home runs on his way to being selected National League Player of the Month.
He cooled off last month, hitting just .208, yet the Pirates stayed within striking distance in the crowded National League Central thanks in part to a resurgent offense that was on full display against Alzolay and four Cubs relievers.
Adam Frazier finished five of six and tied a major league record with four doubles. Colin Moran had a career-high five hits as Pittsburgh boosted their team batting average to .268, fourth-best in the majors.
“I feel like we did a good job of showing what we can do this past month and you know tonight, it all came together one through nine,” Bell said.
Trevor Williams (3-2) picked up his first win since May 10 and added a key RBI single in the fourth inning to help the Pirates pull away. Fellow pitcher Steven Brault added a pinch-hit single in the sixth. All eight position players finished with at least one hit.
Kang Jung-ho hit his seventh home run of the season off Chicago infielder Daniel Descalso, who made a cameo on the mound in the seventh with the game well out of hand.
Jose Osuna hit a solo home run off Kimbrel, who came on to get some work after making his debut with the Cubs last week.
Bell became the 20th Pirates player to hit three home runs in a game and the first left-handed batter to do it since Hall of Famer Willie Stargell in 1971.
Frazier’s four doubles matched a mark accomplished more than 40 times, the last by Matt Carpenter of St Louis on Aug. 26 last year.
Javier Baez hit his 21st home run for Chicago. Kris Bryant and David Bote had two hits each.
Elsewhere on Tuesday, the Brewers edged the Reds 8-6, the Rays beat the Orioles 6-3, the Blue Jays routed the Royals 11-4 and the Giants thrashed the Padres 13-2.
Backup quarterback Luke Weaver on Wednesday night threw a 22-yard touchdown pass to Nick Cenacle with 10 seconds left, as the University of Hawaii rallied for a 35-31 comeback victory over the University of California, Berkeley in a thrilling Hawaii Bowl. Weaver entered the game after Micah Alejado took a hard hit on the previous play. With the Rainbow Warriors (9-4) in range for a tying field goal, coach Timmy Chang took a shot at the end zone, and Cenacle got between two defensive backs and made the contested catch. “How amazing is that?” Chang said. “It’s a program that is built
Hosts Morocco on Friday were held to a 1-1 draw by Mali at the Africa Cup of Nations, ending their world record run of wins and leaving them still to make sure of progress to the next stage. Midfielder Brahim Diaz tucked away a penalty in stoppage-time at the end of the first half, but Mali equalized from the spot midway through the second half through Lassine Sinayoko. Both penalties were awarded after video reviews in a tempestuous clash at the end of a busy day of action at the tournament. Morocco were atop the Group A standings with four points, while Zambia,
STILL IN THE HUNT: Rasmus Hojlund took his goal tally for SSC Napoli to nine as the champions cruised to a win at US Cremonese and stayed two points behind the leaders Inter on Sunday stayed at the Serie A summit after beating Atalanta BC 1-0 to maintain their slender lead over local rivals AC Milan. Lautaro Martinez netted the only goal of the game in Bergamo for Inter, who lead Milan, 3-0 winners against Hellas Verona thanks to Christoper Nkunku’s first Serie A goals, by a single point at the top of the division. The Argentina striker has scored in four consecutive league matches to end what has been a tricky year in positive style. “I ended last season in a lot of pain... I kept going during the Club World Cup and international
An astounding 20 wickets fell on a frantic first day of the fourth Ashes Test yesterday, with Australia all out for 152 before storming back to dismiss England for 110 and leave the clash on a knife-edge. England skipper Ben Stokes won a key toss on a green track and his quicks feasted after sending in the hosts under overcast skies in front of 94,199 fans at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. It was the biggest cricket crowd ever at the cavernous arena, exceeding the 93,013 who watched the 2015 World Cup final, and they witnessed the home side collapse with Josh Tongue
RSS