LOS ANGELES -- Edward Paredes has been a Minor League lifer, so when Triple-A pitching coach Matt Herges told him Sunday night that he had been called up to the Major Leagues for the first time, how did Paredes react?
"I didn't believe it," he said. "I asked, 'Are you sure?'"
Not only did the 30-year-old Paredes become a Dodger on Monday, he made his Major League debut with a 1-2-3 eighth inning and, thanks to Cody Bellinger's dramatic three-run homer, earned his first Major League victory in the Dodgers' 6-4 win over the Twins. Paredes is the first Dodgers left-handed reliever to win his MLB debut since Pete Richert April 12, 1962.
"First of all I want to thank God. It's been 11 long years to get to this point," said Paredes. "I want to thank my family, my wife. I'm glad I have the opportunity to show the world what I can do. I'm proud of myself. Sometimes you put obstacles in front of you and the best you can do you can do what you set out to do."

The Dodgers took Paredes in the Minor League portion of the Rule 5 Draft at the Winter Meetings. He had just signed with the Detroit Tigers while he was having an impressive Winter League season for Escogido in his native Dominican Republic. He got the call Sunday after the Dodgers spent their bullpen cleaning up eight innings after Clayton Kershaw's two-inning start.
"It's a great story," said Dodgers manager Dave Roberts. "With our club there are so many great stories."
Paredes had a 0.00 ERA in six appearances for Triple-A Oklahoma City after being promoted July 7 from Double-A Tulsa, where he was 0-2 with a 2.81 ERA in 24 games. He pitched in four games during Spring Training for the Dodgers and had a real rough go, allowing eight earned runs in 1 1/3 innings for a 43.20 ERA.
Bellinger (with 28 home runs) and Paredes couldn't be more different as rookies, but the former was happy for the latter.
"Awesome, he's had a long road in the Minors," Bellinger said. "Faced him last year in Double-A, got me out almost every time, I swear to God. I'm glad he's up here and glad he got the win."