Shorebirds' Bellony powers way to natural cycle

Isaac Bellony punched a single back up the middle in his first at-bat. He instantly knew it would be a good day.

The Baltimore outfield prospect amassed a natural cycle in his first four at-bats, adding a walk and another single late to lead Single-A Delmarva’s big offensive day in a 14-6 win at Charleston.

“It’s awesome,” Bellony said with a laugh after his big day. “I can’t even explain it. It’s my first time this has happened, and it’s kind of crazy.”

The 20-year-old started his first career five-hit day with a rope to center field to drive in Delmarva’s first run in the top of the first inning. He knew something special could be coming after that.

“I remember when we started in the [Dominican Summer League], every time I had a hit like that in my first at-bat, I would spray three more,” he said. “From the first at-bat, I knew it was going to be a good day.”

The feeling proved prescient. Bellony drove in two more runs with a double to center in the third and then raced for a triple on a fly to center in the fourth. That put the idea of a cycle in his head.

“I was ready for that,” he said of the final leg of the feat. “I was talking to the guys about [the cycle]. They knew I was going to do it.”

After earning a walk in the sixth, Bellony clobbered the third pitch he saw in the seventh for a solo drive to right field, his sixth homer of the year.

Bellony’s Cycle Caps ‘Birds Emphatic 14-6 Win Over ‘Dogs

Full Recap 👉 https://t.co/QAk8pg07TO#Birdland | #FlyTogether pic.twitter.com/II1vt01OyS

— Delmarva Shorebirds (@shorebirds) May 30, 2022

Sunday’s surge all came down to timing and hunting the right offering.

“I was ready for any fastball,” he said. “I was trying to be on time with the fastball, but if I recognized a breaking ball, I would be ready for that too.”

Bellony was born in the United States Virgin Islands and didn’t start playing baseball until he was 12, three years after he and his family moved to the Dominican Republic. Now in Single-A, the 20-year-old is more than holding his own. The five-hit day pushed his season-long slash line to .270/.377/.489.

“I feel like the best guy in the world right now,” he said, laughing. “It’s awesome.”

Bellony was the anchor for a Delmarva team that rapped out 15 hits and went 6-for-15 with runners in scoring position. When batting cleanup this year, Bellony has embraced the challenge, hitting .262/.374/.476.

“Sometimes it’s a little bit of pressure, but I just talk to myself,” he said. “I’m like, ‘I’m the man, I can do this. I can take my team to a win.’”

Bellony started his career with two seasons of Rookie-level ball in the DSL and Florida Complex League in 2019 and 2021 respectively. Now in full-season ball for the first time, he’s hungry to continue developing.

“I still go back and remember when I was back [in Rookie ball], I thought it was a very long way [to Delmarva],” he said. “Now I’m here, and I’m looking for more.”