NL DIVISION SERIES: GIANTS VS DODGERS

October 14, 2021

Cody Bellinger

Dodger Stadium

Los Angeles Dodgers

Postgame 5 Press Conference

Los Angeles Dodgers - 2, San Francisco Giants - 1.

Q. It has been a difficult year, but you got that big hit. How good did it feel, not just for you, but for all of Los Angeles? It was rocking here tonight and back in L.A.

CODY BELLINGER: Yeah, it was, man. I mean, I said it before, it's time to, I learned a lot from the season and now it's the postseason. So just keep having faith in the Lord and keep having faith in myself and just keep staying in the moment and doing everything that I can to help this team win.

Q. How gratifying is a win like this? I know it's only the Division Series, but the way these games were just so intense, does it feel almost more, not say special than other playoff wins, but how would you --

CODY BELLINGER: Yeah, it was a huge win, especially when Webb shoved it again. Like, I keep saying, huge hat's off to him. He pitched his butt off two times and it's not easy to pitch against a team after you just faced them and he continued to do what he did.

So we continue to grind it out. Our pitching did an unbelievable job to keep it close and gave us a chance to have that opportunity to get the hit.

Q. How did you approach that last at-bat against Doval? Obviously he throws triple digit fastballs but threw a lot of sliders there.

CODY BELLINGER: Yeah, I mean, I saw well the first few pitches, missed my pitches, and at that moment with JT on second just tried to keep the momentum going and literally just tried to stay simple and stay within myself. I saw that ball pretty well and just tried to stay simple with it.

Q. Webb was up here just now and said he is pretty sure this isn't going to be the last time that you guys play each other in the playoffs. Do you feel the same way?

CODY BELLINGER: I would assume that that would be the case, that we will continue to play each other. Yeah, that would be my guess as well.

Q. You had three game-winning hits in winner take all games. What is it about those moments that you kind of seem to enjoy?

CODY BELLINGER: Just, I mean, no one wants to, you don't think about being that guy. You just, when the opportunity is there and the moment is there, you just try to stay simple and stay within yourself. Just extremely blessed to be able to be in the moment and just stay within myself and just try and get the job done.

Q. Gavin told us on the field that he sent you that GIF last night of the Kobe to Shaq dunk. Can you confirm that and how did that kind of pump you up? And then you did it for him tonight I guess by throwing the alley-oop to him --

CODY BELLINGER: Yeah, confirmed. He definitely did send that GIF, and props to him for, I mean, he hit a single just as well as I hit a single. I just happened to have JT on second base. So he put together an unbelievable at-bat and just for myself to try to keep the momentum going.

Q. You talked about being simple with the, against Doval right there. You looked like you really choked up against him and you did that kind of previously against Littell. Has it been something you've been working on, anything like that?

CODY BELLINGER: I haven't really worked on it, just knew that those guys threw hard and just staying simple and staying within myself and my approach and just, yeah, I mean, I don't practice it, but I think in the moment things just happen and it makes sense.

Q. In this series, this matchup, do you guys feel like you've survived the toughest challenge you're going to face in the postseason?

CODY BELLINGER: Oh man, that's not how I'm looking at it and I don't think that that's how the team's looking at it. They're obviously an unbelievable team. It's an unbelievable win for, to come in here and take that victory.

But Atlanta is never easy. I mean, they had us down 3-1 last year. So we're not taking anything for granted, for sure.

Q. Knowing the history of this rivalry, and I mentioned this to you before, Cody, how much do you enjoy being part of something like this with this heated rivalry and this is just the latest chapter?

CODY BELLINGER: Yeah, I'm blessed, man, I'm extremely blessed to be in, to be able to be in this moment and the opportunity. Like I just said before, just keep having faith in the Lord and keep having faith in myself and just trying to help this team win in any way I can.

Q. What was kind of your reaction when you saw Scherzer walking out to the bullpen and when you saw him take the mound there in the 9th?

CODY BELLINGER: Yeah, I mean, we knew before the game he was ready, he said he was ready in any moment, whatever inning we needed him, and that is Scherzer being Scherzer, man, he's a gamer, he's a competitor and it's cool, like first career save right there, I believe, so it's really special.

Q. I saw on Twitter that he says that he likes to party. Can you kind of see that after he got that last out?

CODY BELLINGER: Yeah, it's going to be a fun night for sure. (Laughing.) It's going to be a fun night.