One day after rookie shortstop Corey Seager broke Eric Karros‘ record of 30 doubles by a Los Angeles Dodgers rookie with his 31st double of the season, another Dodgers rookie set a new record during Sunday afternoon’s 8-5 win over the Boston Red Sox at Dodger Stadium.

Around noon on Sunday the Dodgers moved outfielder Trayce Thompson from the 15-day disabled list to the 60-day disabled list (back) and called up 27-year-old outfielder Rob Segedin from Triple-A Oklahoma City. All the Old Tappan, New Jersey native did was go 2 for 3 with a two run double and a two run single to set a franchise record for most runs batted in by a Dodger in his major league debut.

“To see him drive in a few runs with a couple of big, huge hits … when you imagine a debut in front of 50,000 people … big hits and contributing to a big win, players going crazy for him, it’s something that he will always remember,” said Dodgers manager Dave Roberts after the game. “He earned that opportunity and took advantage of that today.”

Segedin etched his name into the Dodgers history books on Sunday with this bases loaded two-run single in the fifth inning to give him four RBIs in his MLB debut – a new Dodgers franchise record.
(Photo credit – Ron Cervenka)

After grounding out to third base on the very first major league pitch he saw off of Red Sox left-hander David Price in the bottom of the second inning, Segedin came up with the bases loaded and one out in the bottom of the fourth. This time he was more patient at the plate and after Price fell behind 2-0 in the count, he was looking dead red and got a 95-MPH fastball right over the middle, which he did not miss. What he did miss, however, was hitting a grand slam by about two feet to straightaway center field when the ball hit the top of the wall for a two run double.

As luck would have it, Segedin came up with the bases loaded again, this time with two outs in the bottom of the fifth inning and Price still on the mound for the Red Sox. He yet again worked a 2-0 count on the former Cy Young award winner and got another 95-MPH fastball over the middle which he lined into right field for a two-RBI single, and just like that Segedin was in the Dodgers record books.

“The first day, to help the team out, that excitement of everything you’ve worked for since the day you started playing baseball, it was pretty big,” Segedin said. “It was perfect. We got the win. I was able to help. That’s all I’m trying to do here.”

While Segedin accounted for four of the Dodgers eight runs on Sunday, it was the first of two back-to-back home runs in the bottom of the seventh inning that stole Segedin’s thunder. With one out Dodgers veteran first baseman Adrian Gonzalez absolutely crushed a 93-MPH fastball off of Red Sox right-hander Junichi Tazawa that landed halfway up the Right Field Pavilion (427 feet). It was the 300th career home run for the 34-year-old San Diego, California native, thus making him only the 140th player in MLB history to hit 300 or more home runs. But always the consummate professional, AGon blew off all of the hype and hoopla.

“Those are things I’ll really be able to enjoy when I retire,” Gonzalez said. “Right now, the focus is on the Phillies tomorrow.”

Gonzalez becomes only the 140th player in MLB history to hit 300 career home runs.
(Photo credit – Ron Cervenka)

Gonzalez’s blast was immediately followed by a home run to left field by super utility Kiké Hernandez – a mere 406-footer – that was the icing on the cake for the Dodgers. It was the third time the Dodgers have gone back-to-back this season.

With Sunday’s win and a loss by the Giants earlier in the day, the Dodgers now trail their arch rivals by only one game in the National League West Division. While the Dodgers host the Philadelphia Phillies for three games the Giants travel to Miami for a three-game set against the Marlins.