Rob Segedin has four RBIs in debut to lead Dodgers to 8-5 win over Red Sox

His major league debut, a pregnant wife, 50,640 watching the Dodgers play the Red Sox — all that was enough to make Rob Segedin’s Sunday afternoon his life’s best story.

Then the seven-year minor leaguer dared to top that by swinging his bat, becoming the first Dodger ever to produce four RBIs in his major league debut as the Dodgers beat Boston, 8-5, at Dodger Stadium.

“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.”

The 27-year-old Segedin won his chance to enter an injury-besieged lineup by battering Pacific Coast League pitching with a league-best .598 slugging percentage.

His first major league hit came after 2,331 plate appearances in the minors and a decision by his fellow Tulane University product, Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman, to “give him a look, see how he fares,” according to Manager Dave Roberts.

Segedin cracked a pitch from 2012 Cy Young Award winner David Price off the center-field wall in the fourth inning, pumping his right fist to his hand in celebration at second base as two teammates ran home for a 3-2 lead.

Segedin later extended the Dodgers’ lead to 6-2 by stroking a two-run, two-out single off Price in the fifth, bringing his 38-weeks-pregnant wife, Robin, cheering to her feet again.

“I didn’t want her to miss this opportunity,” Segedin said.

The moment marked a redemptive journey for Segedin, who considered retirement last year after the New York Yankees demoted their former third-round pick to double A on the exact date of his second wedding anniversary.

He’s sought to insure his baseball career by enrolling in online MBA courses after majoring in finance and management at Tulane.

“It’s been a long road. I’ve had an injury history, a lack of opportunities,” said Segedin, who was practicing on what seemed a routine, warm day with his Oklahoma City teammates when told he was going to Los Angeles. “To go through the ups and downs and to finally be here to see the rewards of it, that’s the surreal part.”

Victory was aided by back-to-back home runs in the seventh inning, from Adrian Gonzalez — the 300th of his career — and Enrique Hernandez. Gonzalez also had a double, a single and scored three runs.

Gonzalez, one of only seven active players with 300 homers and 400 doubles, said he’ll keep the home run ball somewhere in his home.

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

When closer Kenley Jansen struck out the side in the ninth for his 34th save, the Dodgers (62-49) moved to within one game of the National League West-leading San Francisco Giants.

Reliever Jesse Chavez (1-1) gained the victory by striking out two in 1 1/3 innings of relief.

The Dodgers were forced to use seven pitchers because starter Brandon McCarthy walked a career-high five batters for the second consecutive game while also throwing a wild pitch and hitting a batter during a 65-pitch outing in which he threw only 31 strikes.

“This is going to be the least amount of answers you can possibly give because I just don’t have them right now,” McCarthy said. “Four-seamer [fastball], I just can’t feel what’s happening. It’s a disappearing mess. I’ve got to figure it out soon. I’m as surprised as the hitter and the catcher as to where the ball’s going.”

The Red Sox (60-50) pulled to within 6-5 with three runs in the sixth, but managed only a walk and hit after that as Segedin basked in the applause he received leaving left field during a sixth-inning defensive shift.

“It’s something he’ll remember,” Roberts said. “We needed a boost against left-handed starters. That’s well-documented. For him to get an opportunity and for us to get a shot in the arm, definitely a big lift.”

lance.pugmire@latimes.com

Twitter: @latimespugmire