LOS ANGELES — It was about three weeks ago when Eliezer Alfonzo’s 16-year-old sister, Eliana, told him she had a dream about his baseball career, but she would not tell him until it came true. By now, Alfonzo has an idea.

“I’m pretty sure the dream was something about this,” he said. “I wish she was alive to watch me play in the big leagues.”

Alfonzo made his major league debut Sunday, starting at catcher for the Los Angeles Dodgers’ series finale against the San Diego Padres, and took the field soon after learning Eliana and his stepmother, Patricia, were found dead from the recent earthquakes that ravaged his native Venezuela.

Eliana and Patricia had been reported missing since June 24, when two 7-plus-magnitude earthquakes struck the northern part of Venezuela. When he received his first major league call-up Saturday, Alfonzo, 26, maintained hope that they might be found. Hours later, he was informed they were among a death toll that, according to the latest numbers released, has risen to 3,342.

Alfonzo spoke to his father, the former major league catcher with the same name, and his brother by phone Sunday. They told him to enjoy this day as best he could and honor his sister and stepmom by doing so. Dodgers infielder Miguel Rojas, a fellow Venezuelan whose wife and children were two blocks away from where buildings collapsed, relayed a similar message.

Alfonzo, who grounded out and flied out before being replaced by a pinch hitter in the seventh inning, wrote “EyP RIP” near the bill of his cap and drew a loud ovation from a Dodger Stadium crowd of 46,506 when he came to bat.

“I felt very emotional and very happy when I heard my name announced, when I took my first turn to bat, to feel the support from the fans,” Alfonzo, speaking in Spanish, said after the Dodgers’ 5-2 loss. “It’s something I appreciated very much and something I’ll always keep in my heart.”

On the side of his cap, Rojas wrote “Alfonzo” and “Fuerza Matatan” in honor of Eliezer Alfonzo Sr.’s nickname. Rojas has known the elder Alfonzo since they played against one another in winter ball in 2008 and spoke glowingly Sunday about what an icon he is in Venezuela and how much he learned from him over the years.

The younger Alfonzo spent nine years in the Detroit Tigers’ minor league system without breaking through. But then, he signed with the Dodgers as a minor league free agent in November and slashed .313/.392/.422 in 49 games for their Triple-A affiliate. With the All-Star Game approaching, and primary catcher Will Smith still out because of a neck injury, the Dodgers called up Alfonzo to serve as Dalton Rushing’s backup.

The best moment of Alfonzo’s career came amid the worst moment of his life.

“It’s really tough right now to put into context and to put into words,” Rojas said. “Just for him to be here today and making the decision that he was going to just fulfill his childhood dream of playing in the big leagues, thinking about that and thinking about them and what happened over there and what his dad has to be going through right now by himself in Venezuela — it’s really tough.

“For me, I’m just going to support the whole family and especially Eliezer because I know how hard it is to play like that.

“It’s been hard for me. Nothing happened to one of my family members, but as soon as I heard the news about them, it kind of hit me as hard as if it was my family. I consider Eliezer Alfonso Sr. one of my close friends in baseball.”

Alfonzo was joined in L.A. by his girlfriend and his agent. But in some ways, he believes, he was joined by his sister. When he came to bat, he could hear how she used to yell from the stands, pleading him to hit the ball hard.

That voice, he believes, will never leave him.

“I know she’s in God’s side now,” Alfonzo said. “She’s going to protect me, and she’s going to enjoy every moment that I’m going to have.”