Jose Peraza triples in MLB debut for Dodgers

LOS ANGELES -- Dodgers rookie Jose Peraza reached base twice in his major league debut, including a triple in Monday night's 8-3 loss to the Nationals.

At 21 years, 102 days old, Peraza was the youngest Dodgers position player to debut since Adrian Beltre, who was 19 years, 78 days old on June 24, 1998.

In his first at-bat, Peraza drove a first-pitch fastball to deep right field but it was caught by Bryce Harper.

He tried to bunt the first pitch of his second at-bat, with two outs in the third inning, but bunted foul. Peraza still got to utilize his speed during that at-bat because he served a 2-1 fastball into short right field for his first major league hit. When Harper tried unsuccessfully to make a sliding catch and the ball got by him, Peraza turned on the jets and made it to third easily for a triple.

"At first I thought he was going to get that ball, but when I saw he didn't I just kept running," Peraza said, through a translator.

Peraza is the first Dodgers player to triple in his first major league game since pitcher Doug Rau on Sept. 2, 1972, and one of just eight to do so since 1914.

But he was stranded on third.

In the fifth inning, Peraza batted for the first time with a runner in scoring position, with A.J. Ellis on third base and two outs. But Peraza grounded a first-pitch fastball to second base to end the inning.

In the eighth inning, Peraza drew a seven-pitch walk.

He struck out in the ninth inning on four pitches, and after the ball got away was thrown out at first to end the game.

The final tally was 17 pitches in five plate appearances, reaching base twice.

Up next

The Dodgers try to snap their first four-game losing streak in the second game of the series on Tuesday night, with rookie Joe Ross starting the middle game for the Nationals. How can the club snap the skid?

"Give the ball to Zack Greinke and take our chances," manager Don Mattingly said.