The Arizona Diamondbacks' impressive and unlikely 2017 season came to an end Monday night at Chase Field thanks in large part to a pair of former Valley heroes.
Dodgers first baseman Cody Bellinger, a Scottsdale native and a graduate of Chandler Hamilton High School, made the D-backs pay at the plate and in the field. The likely National League Rookie of the Year hit 39 regular-season home runs, and he hit his first career postseason homer Monday off former Cy Young Award winner Zack Greinke to expand the Dodgers' lead to 2-0 in the top of the fifth inning.
The 22-year-old Bellinger became the youngest Dodger ever to hit a postseason home run.
First #postseason homer for @Cody_Bellinger?
It was just a matter of time. #NLDS pic.twitter.com/Y7hQav1nnZ
— MLB (@MLB) October 10, 2017
In the bottom of the fifth, Bellinger made this incredible grab in front of the Dodgers dugout to end the inning.
CODY BELLINGER ARE YOU SERIOUS?! WHAT A CATCH. pic.twitter.com/KyUql9QQDx
— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) October 10, 2017
In the top of the sixth inning, catcher and former Arizona State Sun Devils standout Austin Barnes hit a solo home run of his own off Greinke to restore the Dodgers' two run lead and the eventual 3-1 final score. Barnes played at ASU from 2009-11.
Austin Barnes!!! ???? #DODGERS #ThisTeam #SWEEPAZ #NLDS pic.twitter.com/XuKi4ognbj
— DodgersLakers ?A (@DodgersLakers) October 10, 2017
Bellinger, Barnes and the Dodgers now move on to the National League Championship Series to face the Washington Nationals or Chicago Cubs.
