Air Force Sergeant to Be Honored at Dodgers Game, Plus It's Mormon Night

U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Angel Peraza of Palmdale will be honored as the Veteran of the Game tonight when the Los Angeles Dodgers play host to the St. Louis Cardinals at Dodger Stadium.

Peraza enlisted in 2000 and serves with the 30th Civil Engineers Squadron at Vandenberg Air Force Base. He is responsible for disaster preparedness, hazardous material emergency response training and ensuring the base's ability to withstand and recover from an attack and natural disasters.

Peraza has served in Qatar, Japan and Kyrgyzstan. His accolades include the Air Force Commendation Medal, Meritorious Unit Award and a Good Conduct Medal.

The Dodgers also will celebrate Mormon Night, with more than 4,000 members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in attendance. Elder David A. Bednar, a member of Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, the second-highest presiding body in the government of the church, will throw the honorary first pitch.

Derrel Thomas, an infielder-outfielder on the Dodgers' 1981 World Series championship team, will sign autographs in the right field pavilion plaza from 5-7 p.m., the same time as Billy Ashley, a Dodger outfielder from 1992-97, will be signing autographs in the left field pavilion plaza.

A fireworks show will immediately follow the game but could be cancelled if the game lasts too long.

All auto gates will open at 4:30 p.m. and all stadium gates at 5 p.m. for the 7:10 p.m. game.

—City News Service