DODGERTOWN — Cardinals infielder Brendan Ryan remembers sitting beside his father and tuning in for the future of their favorite team, live from Vero Beach, where a baseball Oz was at the end of Vin Scully Way.

“Seeing all the players, young players coming up, wearing that Dodger blue,” Ryan said. “It’s Dodgertown. You know that’s just Dodgertown. And it always should be. That’s what makes this so sad.

“It’s the last time here for me.”

Ryan, a Southern California native and Dodger fan growing up, made his final game at Dodgertown’s Holman Stadium memorable. Starting at third base, Ryan made a couple snazzy defensive plays and then he scored the insurance run on a rarity. In the ninth inning, the Cardinals’ broke a 4-4 tie when two runs scored on the same wild pitch. The Cardinals rallied to tie and win, 6-4.

The Cardinals’ hyper-kinetic infielder was at second base when pitcher Greg Jones uncorkeed a pitch that ricocheted off his catcher and up the first baseline. (Right toward the Cardinals uncovered, no-roof dugout — a signature feature here at Dodgertown beloved by the ballplayers for the baking sun and the fact fans can reach out and tap them on the back for an autograph.) Ryan didn’t hesitate, wheeling around third and beating a throw home.

“That’s one of the nice things Brendan brings to the club,” manager Tony La Russa said. “Brings good legs and he’s aggressive when he runs.”

Ryan went without a hit, but he filled in his box score in other ways.

Starting at third base — a position he had never really played before filling in there last season — Ryan made a barehand scoop-and-fire to help quash a Dodgers’ early rally. A few innings later, Ryan cut to his left for a routine grounder only to have it skip off the grass lip and bounce low. He gloved it and still made the play.

“He doesn’t go to a new position,” La Russa said, “and get out of whack.”

Ryan isn’t sure if any of his family got to see either defensive play, but they got to Holman Stadium in time to see his mad dash from second. His mother, Katie Ryan, and his uncle Pat Ryan, were in the crowd. They called to him as he left the field, the Dodger’s field for the final time. Signing autographs for the throng that gathered around his family nearly cost him a ride on the bus back to Jupiter. He hopped on, still in his uniform.

A missed bus is a lapse he has to avoid, as his play has nearly put him on the team.

Ryan’s family has come to spring training before, but never with the certainty that they would see him play. This time, they got a chance to walk down Vin Scully Way (the path I walked today with Gary Bennett, the path all the Dodgers players walk surrounded by fans asking for autographs). Maybe a stroll down Don Drysdale Drive to Don Sutton Square. All could be renamed by next spring (Brooks Robinson Blvd, anyone?), and Vero won’t represent the Vero Ryan and his father, who died a few years ago, used to romanticize.

“Knowing some of the names that have played on that field and been in Dodgertown, and here I am taking swings and taking groundballs here, that’s overwhelming,” Ryan said. “I always saw it on TV, but here everything I saw is 3-D. I was glad I got to be in this game. The last one. Kind of fun. Sad to see it go.”

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