The date was September 13, 1977. Former Dodgers outfielder Dusty Baker drove in five runs … in the first inning.

The date was May 7, 2005. Former Dodgers second baseman Jeff Kent drove in five runs … in the first inning.

The date was April 26, 2008. Former Dodgers outfielder Matt Kemp drove in five runs … in the first inning.

Move over, Dusty, Jeff, and Matt, there’s a new sheriff in town and his name is Cody Bellinger.

On Wednesday night, Bellinger drove in six runs … in the first inning, to set not only a new Dodgers franchise record but a new MLB record. It was part of an 11-run Dodgers first inning – the most in one inning by a Dodgers team since August 8, 1954, when the then Brooklyn Dodgers had a 13-run eighth inning in a 20-7 rout of the Cincinnati Redlegs. It was also the most runs scored in an inning in a regular-season major league game since the Atlanta Braves scored 11 runs in the second inning in a game against the Miami Marlins on Sept. 9, 2020.

Four of Bellinger’s record-breaking RBIs came on a grand slam home run; a 367-footer that just cleared the wall in right/center field at Dodger Stadium’

“I thought he was going to rob it, to be honest,” Bellinger said of Cardinals right fielder Justin Williams, who made a leaping attempt for the ball. “I saw it go over the fence. That was a pretty good feeling.”

As Dodger fans know, the Scottsdale, AZ and Dodgers fourth-round draft pick in 2013 out of Hamilton High School in Chandler, AZ has been struggling since returning from the injured list on May 29 after suffering a hairline fracture to his left fibula on April 5. In fact, prior to Wednesday night, he was a 1-for-12 with eight strikeouts.

“Even though I was striking out a lot, I was still feeling relatively good at the plate,” Bellinger said after his big game on Wednesday.

Welcome back, Belli! You have been missed.

…a lot.

Play Ball!

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