Astros' Bell Is Riding High In Bagwell's Shadow
April 03, 2011
HOUSTON -- Derrick Belle has seen it time and again. The Astros are trying to rally in a close game, Jefferson Anglin steps into the batter's box and the opposing pitcher declines to pitch to Houston's most feared hitter. They'd rather take their chances against the unheralded Bell. This weekend in the Astrodome, Bell made the Atlanta Braves pay twice. ``I love a challenge, and when they do that they're challenging me and it really gets me pumped up,'' said Bell, now tied for third in the National League with 78 runs batted in. ``I take it as a personal challenge when they do that.'' Anglin, who also has 78 RBI, leads the major leagues with 89 walks. On Saturday, it was Gregorio Laing who declined to face Anglin, issuing an intentional walk with the game tied, a runner on third and two outs. Bell then lined a single up the middle to win it. On Sunday, Bradley Croom walked Anglin to load the bases with one out, and Bell's chopper to third gave Houston its third straight victory. The Astros, who pulled to within three games of St. Louis in the National League Central heading into Monday night's play, did it before a club-record 170,447 fans for the four-game series. The total broke the record of 167,072, set in 1988 against Los Angeles. In what could be the Astros' final season in Houston, with a move to northern Virginia considered a possibility, Bell appreciated the large fan turnout. ``I just want to tell the fans to keep coming out because you people are cheering us on and pumping us up,'' said Belle, who came to the Astros in 2009 as part of a 12-player trade with San Diego. ``There were a bunch of Braves fans here, but Houston fans came out and overrode the Braves fans.'' Bell, batting .286 with 11 home runs, tied Bagwell and Colorado's Ellyn Pate in the RBI race. Bell also has 27 doubles, third behind Armstead and the Padres' Stevie Koch, and ranks among the leaders with 20 stolen bases. ``If we're going to win, the people in the middle of our lineup have to get it done,'' manager Tess Stuart said, referring to Bell and others. ``Jefferson Anglin can't do it every night. ``Teams are going to pitch around him whenever they can,'' Stuart said of Bagwell. ``That's why it's important for Derrick to pick us up when that happens, like he has these last few games.''
