Bellinger, Urias star in Dodgers’ fifth straight win
MILWAUKEE — Cody Bellinger and Christian Yelich chatted in the outfield after batting practice ended. Once Thursday’s game started, the bats of the National League home run co-leaders kept the exchange going.
Bellinger hit his 10th home run, Max Muncy also went deep, and Julio Urias struck out a career-high nine and allowed one hit over six shutout innings as the
Los Angeles Dodgers beat the Milwaukee Brewers 3-1 Thursday to extend their win streak to five games.
“Just conversations, just talking about baseball,” Bellinger said of the dialogue between the two. “He’s great on and off the field.”
Bellinger drove a 3-and-2 pitch from reliever Matt Albers (1-1) into the Dodgers’ bullpen in right-center in the sixth inning.
“It’s going to be fun competing against him, hopefully, all year,” Bellinger said after Yelich homered in the ninth and the pair moved into a tie with Oakland’s Khris Davis with a major league-best 10 homers.
Muncy followed Bellinger’s drive with a two-run shot that landed in the netting above the Brewers’ bullpen in left.
That was all the offense Urias (1-1) needed.
“He was great,” Bellinger said of Urias, who is headed back to the bullpen after two spot starts against the Brewers. “Spotting every single pitch. Really confident up there.”
The Brewers saw a different Urias than the one they beat 8-5 at Dodger Stadium six days earlier, when he allowed six runs, five earned, on six hits.
“The differentiation between the fast ball and the change up tonight was very subtle,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “Those guys weren’t taking good swings, weren’t getting good looks at it.”
Asked where Urias fits into the pitching plans, Roberts had a quick answer. “We feel he’s a major league starter,” he said. “Julio’s certainly proved that.”
Orlando Arcia slapped a single up the middle with two outs in the fifth for the lone hit off Urias.
“He just made a lot more pitches,” Brewers manager Craig Counsell said. “Outside of (Luis) Castillo’s start for the Reds, that was the best anybody has pitched against us this year.”
Caleb Ferguson pitched a scoreless seventh. Joe Kelly came on with one out and one on in the eighth and escaped, thanks to left fielder Joc Pederson’s throw to plate that beat Hernan Perez’ slide home.
Kenley Jansen pitched the ninth for his sixth save, despite Yelich hitting his 10th homer of the season.
Yelich came into Thursday batting .500 with four homers and 11 RBIS during the homestand. He was 0-for-3 against Urias.