LOS ANGELES (AP) — Fans threw baseballs in the direction of San Diego left fielder Jurickson Profar and then tossed trash that caused a lengthy delay before the Padres beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 10-2 on Sunday night to even their NL Division Series at a game apiece.
Yu Darvish limited the Dodgers’ powerful offense to one run and three hits over seven innings, while Fernando Tatis Jr. went deep twice, helping the Padres tie the postseason record of six homers in a single game.
David Peralta and Jackson Merrill each added two-run homers, with a hobbled Xander Bogaerts and Kyle Higashioka contributing solo shots. At 21, Merrill became the youngest Padres player with a postseason homer.
“Six of them is a special treat for us,” said Merrill.
The delay in the middle of the seventh inning resulted in a 12-minute gap between pitches, stemming from two balls thrown from the stands towards Profar. He chased after one, but a security officer retrieved it first, leaving trash strewn on the warning track near the Padres’ bullpen.
“I feel like when it went over the line, when they started throwing stuff onto the field,” Tatis said. “I felt like that should not be happening in a big league game.”
Continuous booing erupted from the sellout crowd of 54,119 — the largest at Dodger Stadium this season.
Security rushed onto the field as Padres manager Mike Shildt and his team huddled in shallow left, joined by the umpiring crew. Security aimed to identify potential perpetrators in the crowd.
“We were looking for a higher security presence out in the left-field corner to ensure that that behavior didn’t continue,” crew chief Dan Bellino told a pool reporter, “and to make sure that if anybody did throw anything out on the field they would be identified immediately and removed from the stadium.”
The Dodgers did not immediately respond when asked whether there had been any arrests.
Manny Machado gathered his teammates in the dugout to motivate them ahead of the game’s resumption.
The Dodgers have lost four straight Game 2s and seven of their last eight playoff games.
The best-of-five series shifts to San Diego on Tuesday.
Dodgers starter Jack Flaherty hit Tatis with a pitch in the sixth inning, leading to a verbal exchange between Profar and Dodgers catcher Will Smith.
“There’s too much of an important series just to be throwing at guys,” Tatis remarked. “When he hit me, he just gave me more energy. My boys gave me more energy.”
The Dodgers appeared to have tied it in the bottom of the first inning as Mookie Betts hit a deep fly to the corner, with left field umpire Adrian Johnson signaling a home run.
However, Profar managed to catch the ball amid the outstretched arms of fans, demonstrating an impressive play while showing little reaction, much to the astonishment of the crowd.
“That was hilarious,” Merrill said of Profar’s playful interaction with the fans. “He’s having fun. He was playing like a little kid and I love that.”
Later, there were further verbal exchanges between fans and Profar.
The Dodgers lost first baseman Freddie Freeman, who exited after five innings due to discomfort in his sprained right ankle. Freeman was injured on Sept. 26 and struggled to be fit for the playoffs.
Just like in Game 1, the Padres jumped to a quick 3-0 lead, with Tatis hitting a home run in the first off Flaherty and Peralta adding a two-out, two-run shot in the second.
Darvish struck out three and walked two against his former team, notably shutting down fellow Japanese player Shohei Ohtani, who went 0 for 4 with two strikeouts.
“I was trying to see how he reacted to some of the pitches that I was throwing,” Darvish said through an interpreter. “On top of that, I was trying to keep him off-balance by holding a little bit longer. I think it worked pretty well.”
Ohtani’s performance marked a significant playoff struggle, while Mookie Betts remained hitless for a sixth consecutive playoff game.
Pitching near his hometown of Burbank, Flaherty surrendered four runs and five hits in 5 1/3 innings, becoming the first Dodgers starter to reach the sixth inning of a postseason game since Max Scherzer in 2021.
Max Muncy homered for the Dodgers in the ninth.
UP NEXT
RHP Walker Buehler will start for the Dodgers in Game 3, while RHP Michael King will take the mound for the Padres. King was dominant against Atlanta in the NL Wild Card Series, striking out 12 in seven scoreless innings. King faced the Dodgers four times this season, delivering 12 innings of shutout ball in two of those outings while experiencing struggles in the other two.
Engaging Discussion with Experts
To gain deeper insights into the implications of this game and its surrounding events, we invited a panel of sports analysts:
- Dr. Emily Jones, Sports Psychologist
- Mark Thompson, Former MLB Player
- Lisa Baker, Sports Journalist
Discussion Highlights:
Moderator: “What was your immediate reaction to the fan behavior during the game?”
Dr. Emily Jones: “It’s troubling to see fans throwing objects onto the field. It disrupts the game and poses a safety risk. Ideally, stadiums should implement stricter measures to prevent such actions.”
Mark Thompson: “I agree; it’s unacceptable. Fans should remember that players are just trying to perform their best. It’s all about respect — for the game and for each other.”
Lisa Baker: “This behavior could reflect rising tensions in playoff atmospheres. We need to understand the responsibilities of fans in high-stakes environments, as their actions can overshadow the athletic performances.”
Moderator: “Tatis commented that the incident gave him more energy. How does such behavior impact player performance?”
Dr. Emily Jones: “In some cases, players can feed off the energy from their fans, good or bad. Tatis seems to thrive in intense situations, but it’s essential that the environment stays safe and respectful.”
Mark Thompson: “Absolutely. Players need to maintain their focus, so distractions from fans can be a double-edged sword.”
Moderator: “As we look ahead to Game 3, what strategies do the Padres need to employ to maintain this momentum?”
Lisa Baker: “They should build on their offensive strategies while also ensuring they remain focused mentally. The momentum is on their side, but consistency is key.”
Mark Thompson: “And pitching remains crucial. If they can keep the pressure on the Dodgers early, they stand a good chance of taking the series.”
Join the conversation! What are your thoughts on fan behavior and its effects during crucial games? Comment below!