Cody Bellinger Breaks Records as Dodgers Beat Mets, 10-6, in Slugfest

It's Cody Bellinger's world, we're all just living in it.

The new National League home run leader belted two on the night, breaking multiple MLB records in the process as the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the New York Mets, 10-6, in a slugfest at Chavez Ravine on Monday night. 

Bellinger homered in the first and second innings, respectively, giving him 21 on the year, the most in the National League, and the most in all of baseball since he was called up on April 25^th.

"Sick," said Bellinger when told he now led the NL in home runs. 

Bellinger blasted a three-run shot off Mets' starter Zack Wheeler to give the Dodgers a 4-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning.

One inning later, Bellinger sent a slider from Wheeler over the center field wall for his second home run in as many innings as the Dodgers raced out to an early 7-0 lead.

"It was a 3-2 count, and I was just trying to protect," said Bellinger of his second home run. "I think he threw me inside and I was able to put the barrel to it."

Bellinger became the fastest player in MLB history to hit 21 home runs, surpassing Wally Berger and Gary Sanchez who each hit 20 through the first 51 games of their careers.

"It's crazy. If you told me a month and a half ago what I was going to do, I probably would have called you crazy," said Bellinger of the records he set. "I'm gonna come in tomorrow do my same routine and try and put together some good at-bats."

Bellinger also tied Mike Piazza's franchise record with five multi-homer games in his rookie season and became the fastest in MLB history to have five multi-homer games. Bellinger still has 91 more games to break the record of seven set by Mark McGwire in 1987.

Justin Turner homered in the second inning to extend his hitting streak to 14 games (longest active in MLB) as the third baseman finished the night going 4-for-4 with three singles, a walk, a home run, four RBI and two runs scored.

Turner reached base safely in all of five plate appearances and now leads all of baseball in batting average with a .399 mark, but as of now, is ineligible for the MLB lead because of his DL stint last month (number of at-bats).

On the flip side, Clayton Kershaw had one of the worst starts of his career, but thanks to the Herculean efforts by Bellinger, Turner and Chris Taylor, he still recorded his MLB-best, 10^th win of the season.

"It's obviously not the way I drew it up," Kershaw said of the victory. "But the way we've been playing of late, we probably had a good chance if I could hold them to six."

Kershaw (10-2), joined Jason Vargas of the Kansas City Royals as the only 10 game winners in baseball, by allowing a career-high four home runs in the game.

Jose Reyes hit two homers off the three-time Cy Young Award winner, Jay Bruce hit one and Gavin Cecchini added another as both teams hit four home runs in the game, the second time in a week at Dodger Stadium.

"It's a good feeling to hit my first home run off an unbelievable pitcher like Kershaw," said Cecchini who hit his first career HR in his first career start. "He hung a curveball and I put my best swing on it."

Jose Reyes jumps all over the first pitch of his at-bat and drives it over the left-field fence, putting the Mets on the board in the 3rd!!! pic.twitter.com/evjcH8HXUP— TheRenderMLB (@TheRenderMLB) June 20, 2017

Jose Reyes turns a pitch around and over the wall in left field for a two-run homer, his second of the game pulls the Mets within two!!! pic.twitter.com/xchPCHlg9S— TheRenderMLB (@TheRenderMLB) June 20, 2017

Kershaw has now surrendered 17 home runs on the season, the most he's ever allowed in his entire career, and we're still just 71 games into the season.

"No theory," Kershaw said matter of factly when asked if he had a theory as to why he's allowed so many home runs this season as compared to previous years. "You hope mistakes are hit for singles, but it just so happens mine are going out of the ballpark."

Jay Bruce hammers a pitch over the wall in right-center field for a solo home run, making the score 7-2 in the 4th inning!!! #LGM pic.twitter.com/Rga9JKReaD— TheRenderMLB (@TheRenderMLB) June 20, 2017

On the bright side, Kershaw improved to a perfect 8-0 with a 1.84 ERA in 12 career starts against the Mets, passing the late Jose Fernandez and Edison Volquez as the only pitchers since 1913 with a record of 7-0 or better and sub-2.00 ERA against any opponent.

Kershaw exited the game in the seventh inning, allowing six runs on six hits with one walk and 10 strikeouts in 6 and 1/3 innings. It was his 55th career game with 10+ strikeouts.

"There's two ways to go: you can either try and rethink everything or say 'screw it' and come back tomorrow and act like it didn't happen," added Kershaw of his start. "I'm going to go with the latter. I guess that's why you play on a good team, we have a lot of guys swinging the bats well that picked me up today."

Gavin Cecchini pounds a breaking ball over the wall in left field for his first Major League homer, cutting the score to 7-4 in the 5th!!! pic.twitter.com/lzmTpT9jgP— TheRenderMLB (@TheRenderMLB) June 20, 2017

Chris Taylor gave Kershaw and the Dodgers an extra insurance run in the bottom of the seventh with his ninth long ball of the season. A no doubt about it shot to left field to put LA up 9-6.

The Dodgers recorded a season-high 17 hits in the game, two more than their previous total of 15 earlier in the season.

Maybe it's global warming, or "juiced" baseballs, but the ball is definitely flying out of the ballpark this season. In the entirety of Dodger Stadium's 55-year history, two teams have combined to hit eight or more home runs only three times, and it has happened twice now in the last eight days.

Los Angeles improves to a season-high 19 games over .500 (45-26), the second best mark through 71 games in the last 30 years of team history, and have won four consecutive games including 10-of-11 overall.

Up Next:

Robert Gsellman gets the start for the Mets on Tuesday opposite RHP Brandon McCarthy for the Boys in Blue. First pitch is scheduled for 7:10PM PST.