Earlier this week, Josh Bell stood in a quiet clubhouse after a crushing Minnesota Twins loss and spoke of hope.His teammates were feeling down yet again after blowing a 5-0 lead as the Philadelphia Phillies rallied to complete a devastating sweep. Yet the slugger demonstrated for the umpteenth time this season why he’s beloved in the Twins clubhouse.Whether the Twins are winning or losing, Bell’s presence doesn’t waver. The veteran never runs too hot or too cold, instead providing the same baseline level of behavior every day.For the third straight game Wednesday, Bell also showed why the Twins cherish him on the field. Two innings after drawing a bases-loaded walk that temporarily put the Twins ahead, Bell jumpstarted a game-winning rally in the seventh inning with a one-out hustle double.Kody Clemens and Brooks Lee followed Bell’s knock with base hits of their own and the Twins toppled the Atlanta Braves 6-4 to complete a stunning sweep. Bell’s 1-for-3 day, which included a walk and an RBI, came after he keyed first-inning rallies in wins on Monday and Tuesday.Who should win NL MVP?Joe Crisalli“It’s huge,” Twins manager Derek Shelton told reporters in Minnesota. “You’re talking about (Michael) Harris and (Ronald) Acuña out there. (Bell) did not hesitate out of the box. You talk about guys playing hard, you talk about guys playing the right way. It’s a risky move. Harris throws well, and Acuña throws better than just about anybody in the game. He doesn’t know if Acuña is going to get that, but there was no hesitation. That’s the thing that propelled us.”Though his presence is as steady as they come, Bell is a decidedly streaky hitter. He is currently on a heater and helping carry a Twins offense still waiting for Byron Buxton to regain his All-Star form.Bell is batting .361/.435/.607 with three doubles, four home runs and 14 RBIs in August. On Monday, he keyed a go-ahead rally in the first inning with a two-run double off Martín Pérez. A day later, Bell blasted a two-run homer off Tyler Mahle in the first inning — a 434-foot shot that put the Twins ahead for good.His double Wednesday was equally important. Though Bell’s bases-loaded walk keyed a go-ahead rally in the fifth inning, the Twins bullpen gave the lead back in the sixth.When Bell split the outfielders with a 110.1-mph base hit toward right-center field, he exploded out of the batter’s box, sprinted down the line and slid into second well ahead of Harris’ throw. Two pitches later, Bell was rewarded for his effort when Clemens pulled a hanging slider for a go-ahead double to right.
Twins thoughts: Josh Bell makes impact on, off field as Minnesota sweeps Braves
"There is a stability factor that I think Josh Bell brings," Minnesota manager Derek Shelton said.









