Dodgers fans didn’t have a whole lot to cheer about in Sunday’s 11-3 shellacking at the hands of the fourth-place San Diego Padres. In fact, aside from a run scored on a bases loaded 4-6-3 double play off the bat of Dodgers right fielder Andre Ethier which was followed by a two-run home run by third baseman Alex Guerrero, the 50,182 at Dodger Stadium made it sound more like a library than the largest ballpark in the National League.

There was one bright moment, however. Twenty-five-year-old catcher Austin Barnes made his major league debut with the Dodgers, having been called up on Saturday to fill in for Dodgers catcher Yasmani Grandal who was placed on the mandatory 7-day concussion disabled list after being hit on the head on a back swing by Padres first baseman Yangervis Solarte and then taking a foul ball off the mask one inning later.

After striking out in his first at-bat and flying out to right in his second – both against Padres ace James Shields – the Riverside, CA native hit a solid single to center field in his third at-bat in the bottom of the eighth inning off of Padres reliever Dale Thayer.

“It was the first one I’ve ever hit. You grow up playing the game you want to get your first big league hit,” Barnes told reporters after the game. “Didn’t really like losing the game like that but it is what it is.”

Barnes collected his first major league hit on Sunday afternoon off of Padres right-hander Dale Thayer. (Photo credit – Ron Cervenka)

After arriving safely at first base, Barnes was congratulated by Dodgers first base coach Davey Lopes.
(Photo credit – Ron Cervenka)

Barnes estimated that there were close to 50 family and friends to see him make his first major league start. He kidded that they all had to buy their own tickets because there were too many of them.

After giving up a grand slam to Padres slugger Justin Upton with no outs in the first inning followed by four more runs in the second inning, Dodgers starter Carlos Frias became the sacrificial lamb and was left in the game by Dodgers manager Don Mattingly to save his bullpen. Frias would allow another run in the third inning and one more in the fifth before Mattingly finally and mercifully removed him. The ten runs allowed by Frias were the most by a Dodgers pitcher since by Brad Penny did so on May 7, 2008.

“We haven’t seen that at all this year. He had one game last year,” said Mattingly of Frias. “A lot of balls were in the middle of the plate and big leaguers are going to hit those. It looked like he had trouble throwing his fastball for strikes.”

Dodgers right-hander Carlos Frias did not have a good day.
(Photo credit – Victor Decolongon)

Ironically, while Frias was having a very bad day, former Dodgers first-round draft pick Zach Lee was having an exceptional day with the team’s Triple-A affiliate Oklahoma City Dodgers. Lee pitched seven scoreless innings allowing only four hits with one walk and three strikeouts against a normally very potent Las Vegas 51s offense. And while many Dodger fans have been clamoring for the Dodgers front office to call up the 23-year-old right-hander, Mattingly made it perfectly clear that he has no intention of giving up on Frias – not yet, anyway.

“We can’t make decisions based on one start,” Mattingly said. “It can happen to anyone.”

In all likelihood, Barnes, who was acquired by the Dodgers from the Marlins in the deal that sent Dee Gordon, Dan Haren and Miguel Rojas to Miami for Chris Hatcher and himself, may get one more start behind the plate for the Dodgers before Grandal returns to action. That said, Mattingly told the media prior to Sunday’s game that Grandal will probably make two or three rehab appearances before returning to the Dodgers line-up. And although Mattingly wouldn’t say where Grandal would rehab, Grandal himself told reporters that it would be with the Oklahoma City club.

But even when Barnes gets sent back down to Triple-A, he will carry the memory of that first major league base hit – any nobody can ever take that away from him.