Rob Segedin debuts in style in Dodgers’ win over Red Sox

On a night the Dodgers would hit three home runs, it was rookie Rob Segedin who stole the show with a double, a single and four RBI in his major league debut, helping the Dodgers to an 8-5 win over the Red Sox on Sunday night at Dodger Stadium.

The win, coupled with the Giants’ loss in Washington D.C. earlier Sunday, moved the Dodgers to within one game of San Francisco in the National League West.

Segedin was called up to the majors for the first time on Sunday after seven seasons and 2,331 plate appearances in the minors.

After grounding out in his first at-bat, the bases were loaded for Segedin in the fourth against David Price, and he made him pay with a drive off the center field wall for a two-run double, giving the Dodgers a 3-2 lead.

The SportsNet LA broadcast continually showed Segedin’s wife Robin, who is eight months pregnant. After the double, Vin Scully quipped, “Be careful she doesn't deliver right now.”

One inning later, the bases were loaded again for Segedin, and again he worked a 2-0 count against Price. This time, Segedin drove a ball through the right side for a two-run single, giving the Dodgers a 6-2 advantage.

Segedin’s four runs batted in set a Dodgers franchise record for RBI in a major league debut, surpassing the three RBI by Packy Rogers for Brooklyn against the New York Giants on July 12, 1938.

Boston pulled to within a run with a three-run rally of their own in the sixth inning, but back-to-back home runs in the seventh by Adrian Gonzalez and Kiké Hernandez gave the Dodgers some extra breathing room.

For Gonzalez, it was the 300th home run of his career, and one of his three hits on the night, his second straight three-hit game.

McCarthy’s wild ride

Sunday was another wild and short start for Brandon McCarthy. After his Tuesday start at Coors Field, when he walked a career-worst five batters, McCarthy didn’t have much of an idea where the ball was going.

“I’ve never felt like that on a major-league mound before,” McCarthy told reporters, per Bill Plunkett of the Orange County Register. “I couldn’t feel where my hand position was. It was like what you were trying to do with the ball you couldn’t execute. You were at the mercy of where it ends up going out of your hand.”

That seemed to continue on Sunday, with three pitches to the backstop in the first two innings. McCarthy walked five batters again, the second time in a row after never walking more than four in any of his first 162 major league starts.

McCarthy had one wild pitch, hit a batter, didn’t strike out a batter, and threw more balls (34) than strikes (31), which cut his day short after just 3⅔ innings. Amazingly, thanks in part to two Red Sox double plays, McCarthy only allowed two runs.

Up next

The Dodgers continue their homestand by welcoming the Phillies to town for three games beginning Monday night in Los Angeles. Julio Urias makes his 10th and final start as a teenager in the opener, opposed by old friend Zach Eflin.

Sunday particulars

Home runs: Justin Turner (20), Adrian Gonzalez (10), Kiké Hernandez (6)

WP - Josh Fields (1-0): ⅓ IP, 1 strikeout

LP - David Price (9-8): 5 IP, 6 hits, 6 runs (3 earned), 5 walks, 3 strikeouts

Sv - Kenley Jansen (34): 1 IP, 3 strikeouts