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By Jon Weisman
Jose Peraza isn’t purely a September callup. The 21-year-old second baseman-center fielder, the youngest Dodger position player since Adrian Beltre, had 13 plate appearances in four games for Los Angeles before today’s turn of the calendar.
But we’ll call him a late addition to the Dodgers, and what an addition so far.
The young sparkplug ignited and then all but sealed the Dodgers’ 2-1 victory over Giants ace Madison Bumgarner and the San Francisco Giants, moving Los Angeles to a 5 1/2 game lead in the National League West.
“He seemed to play fearless,” Don Mattingly said.
In the third inning, Peraza singled and soon after raced home from second base for the Dodgers’ first run off Bumgarner. And in the eighth inning, shortly after Joc Pederson’s homer off Bumgarner doubled the Dodger lead, Peraza made a spectacular play, backhanding a Brandon Belt grounder with the tying run on second base and glove-flipping to Jimmy Rollins to start an inning-ending double play.
“I was looking to get it over to Jimmy,” said Peraza, who said he practices glove-flips periodically. “Thank God it worked out.”
In doing so, Peraza saved a vintage Zack Greinke outing from the wastebasket. Greinke allowed no runs on two hits over his first seven innings, then gave up three singles for a run in the eighth, setting up the game’s most dramatic moment.
Luis Avilan, relieving Greinke, allowed a long foul ball on his first pitch and needed seven in all to get Belt, but thanks to the double play, retired his 11th batter in a row over the past six games.
Peraza dropped a second-inning pop-up for an error — so much for perfection. But that was soon a distant memory.
“Maybe I do,” said Peraza, about whether he feels the pressure of being thrust into a Giants-Dodgers pennant race in his fifth Major League game, “but it basically comes down to me doing my job, and thank God things turned out well.”
dembums55
These last two games have been intense. I can’t help but think that these Dodgers have reignited a spark.
tompim97
yes , they need this game , look good so far !
Bryan Michael McKinsey
Los Angeles Dodgers 02 vs San Fransisco Giants 01
Hi I’m a Giants fan and with others on hand as well seeing tonight’s game vs. Kershaw. We had each and every eye on the game. But everyone’s entitled to there own opinion specially that call at the plate we all thought that the call was wrong. I’m not saying this because we lost, we thought that they could’ve contested more and that’s why Bruce got angry but he wasn’t the only one, all of us are on his side of being a Giant. However if the call at the plate wasn’t a strike, then it could’ve been different then Bruce wouldn’t been ejected of making a right decision rather having Bruce Boochy loose control of his patients. Being a spectator and seeing the same call on TV then out on the filed it gives another views of the game. For being an empire it sure takes allot of power throwing someone out of the game. I see it all the time it just I don’t seen them get thrown out of the game. What, are the Gods that don’t make a mistake there just a human as everyone. Know one is God and let that be to the father of our country. But we get angry at times I got angry and upset too but I always keep my cool either we win or lose cause I thought we can get a win tonight with the starting picture like Leake.