Jim Jarvis has memorable night in Los Angeles

LOS ANGELES — It has been quite the eventful and memorable few days for Jim Jarvis.

The Braves’ 24-year-old rookie shortstop, after making his MLB debut on Wednesday in Seattle, was in the heart of all the action Friday during the Braves’ 3-1 loss to the Dodgers at Dodger Stadium.

In the third inning, Santiago Espinal tried to stretch a single after hitting a ball into right-center field. Braves right fielder Mike Yastrzemski fired into second, where Jarvis made a heady play to position himself with his back to first base, grab the ball on a bounce and tag out Espinal.

In the fourth, Jarvis made a jaw-dropping play by diving into shallow left field and catching the third out of the inning, a play that drew the admiration of Braves starting pitcher Chris Sale.

“Having (Sale) come in the dugout, smiling and pat my back is unreal. Once-in-a-lifetime experience,” Jarvis said. “I’m trying (not) to just burst at everything. The ball went up, and as soon as I started running, I’m not gonna lie, I started shaking. So it’s kind of just like, close my eyes, dive and hope it hits my leather.”

Jarvis recorded his first MLB hit in the top of the fifth, a solid single up the middle off Dodgers starter Emmet Sheehan. In the bottom of the fifth, though, Jarvis’ throwing error led to an unearned run that gave the Dodgers the lead.

“I mean, everything’s kind of like a learning experience, and I just want to do everything I can to win,” Jarvis said. “So it’s, you know, it’s tough. I hate, hate making errors. It’s part of the game, and I’m just gonna do my best to not make any more.”

Jarvis was called up to make his debut in Seattle on Wednesday. He left Norfolk, Virginia, in the wee hours of that day, had an hour layover in Detroit and then arrived at T-Mobile Park a couple hours before starting at shortstop against the Mariners. It was a whirlwind of a day in which adrenaline was his accomplice in being present in the moment.

The former Alabama standout had more time to catch his breath since, with the Braves having an off day Thursday and not playing until Friday night. There was also more time for friends and family from Jarvis’ hometown of San Diego to get to Los Angeles to show their support in person.

When asked who was in his cheering section, a section a few levels up behind home plate that went wild after his fifth-inning hit, Jarvis said, “I have no clue.”

Jarvis’ stint with the big league club is likely to be a short one, for now. Primary shortstop Ha-Seong Kim is expected to finish his rehab stint soon, and Jarvis could be the odd shortstop out with Mauricio Dubón, Jorge Mateo and Kyle Farmer on the roster. Jarvis, who hits left-handed, started Friday’s game against the Dodgers, but Braves manager Walt Weiss said Mateo, who hits right, would be penciled in Saturday and Sunday against the Dodgers’ left-handed starters.