Bryce Harper drives in go-ahead run in 9th for Nationals

Nationals outfielder Bryce Harper grounded out to pitcher Chad Billingsley in his first big-league at bat Saturday night at Dodger Stadium, but doubled in the seventh for his first hit and then hit a sacrifice fly in the ninth inning to put the Nationals up 2-1.

By C. Trent Rosecrans

Apr 28, 2012 at 9:41 pm ET • 1 min read

Nationals rookie Bryce Harper was welcomed to the big leagues with a hearty round of boos from the Dodger Stadium faithful and by the end of the game had good reason to boo him, as he drove in the go-ahead run in the ninth inning. However, the Nationals would lose 4-3 in 10 innings on Matt Kemp's walk-off home run.

Despite the loss, Harper's debut was impressive. After grounding out in his first at-bat and doubling in his third, Harper came up with the game tied and runners on the corners with the game tied at 1 in the ninth inning against right-hander Javy Guerra. Harper lined his first pitch into left field, deep enough to score Rick Ankiel from third and give Washington a 2-1 lead.

In his first at-bat, Harper grounded back to Dodgers starter Chad Billingsley for the third out of the second inning. After flying out to left in the fifth inning, Harper hit a double over the head of Matt Kemp in the seventh inning for his first hit.

The No. 1 pick in the 2010 made his Major League debut Saturday night in Los Angeles, starting in left field and batting seventh. After Harper took the first pitch he saw in the big leagues for a strike, Dodger catcher A.J. Ellis tossed the ball toward the Dodgers' dugout to be preserved for posterity.

Harper recorded his first putout in the bottom of the second inning when Jerry Hairston Jr. hit a fly ball off of Nationals starter Stephen Strasburg that he was able to corral easily.

With two outs in the seventh, Harper went to a full count against Billingsley and crushed a ball to center that went over the head of Kemp in center as Harper cruised into second after flipping off his helmet between first and second to expose his faux-hawk haircut.

In the bottom of the seventh, Harper showed off his impressive arm, nearly gunning down Hariston at home on Ellis' single. Harper's throw was a perfect strike to Wilson Ramos at home, but Ramos dropped the ball, allowing Hairston to score the tying run. Nationals manager Davey Johnson argued that Hairston hit the ball out of Ramos' glove.

Here's a look at the throw: