LOS ANGELES — Dodger Stadium fans tossed baseballs, apparently at San Diego left fielder Jurickson Profar, and then threw trash that caused a 12-minute delay during the seventh inning of NL Division Series Game 2 on Sunday night.
Profar had robbed Mookie Betts of a home run in the first inning, reaching into the stands behind the low left-field wall. As Betts rounded the bases, Profar hopped up and down for several seconds, back to the plate, before showing he caught the ball.
With San Diego leading 4-1 and Yu Darvish warming up for the bottom of the seventh, fans appeared to be yelling at Profar, who motioned back at them with his right arm.
A ball was thrown. Profar approached the ball as left field umpire Adrian Johnson came up to him, soon joined by Padres manager Mike Shildt, San Diego players and more umpires. Profar yelled and pointed before teammate Xander Bogaerts put an arm around him and Padres players, including Darvish, formed a huddle.
According to ESPN’s Alden Gonzalez, it appeared that two baseballs were thrown in Profar’s direction.
Gonzalez later reported that fans began to throw objects at Fernando Tatis Jr. in right field, bringing close to 20 security guards to the foul line as play was delayed.
Dodgers security staff attempted to identify the fans who caused the trouble, and public address announcer Todd Leitz told the crowd: “We ask that you do not throw objects onto the field.”
After the seventh inning, San Diego held a brief team meeting in its dugout.
The tension has begun to rise between the two teams in the middle of the third post-season matchup in the past five years between the two NL West rivals.
Padres third baseman Manny Machado and Dodgers starter Jack Flaherty were seen chirping back and forth earlier in the contest.
— With files from Sportsnet Staff
