Fans at Dodger Stadium tossed baseballs and trash, causing a 12-minute delay during the seventh inning of San Diego’s win over Los Angeles on Sunday night. The baseballs were apparently aimed at Padres left fielder Jurickson Profar during a fiery NL Division Series Game 2.
The tension started when Profar had robbed Mookie Betts of a home run in the first inning. As Betts rounded the bases, Profar hopped up and down for several seconds, seeming to pretend he had failed to secure the ball, before showing the crowd he had caught it. Then, in the sixth inning, Dodgers starter Jack Flaherty plunked Fernando Tatis Jr. Profar and LA catcher Will Smith, who called Profar “irrelevant” earlier this season, then had a brief confrontation at home plate.
WOW!! JURICKSON PROFAR ROBS MOOKIE BETTS OF A HOME RUN!! 🤯
— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) October 7, 2024
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The hostility then passed to the crowd. With San Diego leading 4-1 and Yu Darvish warming up for the bottom of the seventh, fans appeared to yell at Profar and a ball was thrown from the crowd. A heated Profar spoke to the umpires about the situation as his teammates and coaches gathered around him protectively. As the players returned to their positions, a number of objects appeared to be thrown in the direction of Tatis.
Jurickson Profar is HEATED after a fan threw a baseball at him from the stands. pic.twitter.com/Eworpr4Zhj
— Foul Territory (@FoulTerritoryTV) October 7, 2024
Dodgers security staff attempted to identify the fans who caused the trouble and gathered along the foul lines. Fans were also told by the public address announcer not to throw objects on the field.
“We gave the people a show out there and it looked like they got a little upset … but this is the playoffs and this is the environment we’re built for,” said Tatis after the game.
He added that the team did not feel as if they were in any real danger.
“We have very good security out here, I’m thankful for that,” said Tatis, who hit two of the Padres’ six home runs on the night.
The hostile atmosphere did not appear to intimidate the Padres, who ran out 10-2 winners, with six of their runs coming after the delay. The best-of-five series is tied at 1-1 as the teams head to San Diego for Tuesday’s Game 3.
In Sunday’s other game, Nick Castellanos ripped a winning two-out single off Tylor Megill that scored Trea Turner and sent the Philadelphia Phillies to a dizzying 7-6 win over the New York Mets, and evened their NL Division Series at one game apiece. Castellanos tossed his helmet and was mobbed by teammates on the infield as a game that seemed to slip away one inning earlier turned into a comeback win for the NL East champions.
