While the Dodgers were taking a gut-punch during Game 2 of the NLDS, losing to the San Diego Padres 10-2, the tension boiled over for the fans at Dodger Stadium — in what was a rowdy night at Elysian Park.
The game was forced to pause for nine minutes in the seventh inning when fans started throwing stuff at San Diego Padres players.
“There’s no reason ever to throw anything at players, no matter what is going on,” Dodgers pitcher Jack Flaherty said.
The tension seemed to have started in the first inning. Padres outfielder Jurickson Profar robbed Mookie Betts of a homerun, snagging the ball out of the stands.
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Later in the game, he handed a ball to a Dodger fan — who then threw it back on the field. That fan was Mario Zazueta.
“Profar has a ball and he just looks right at me. I said ‘I don’t want it,'” Zazueta said. “I said, ‘No, I’m gonna chuck it.’ He just, with a big ol’ smile and grin, and he handed me the ball. So as soon as I got that ball, I just turn around and I chuck it down the line.”
Seconds later, another ball is tossed near Profar. And when other items started hitting the field, security swarmed the outfield.
Zazueta ended up getting tossed from the game. He said he understands why, though he’s a little upset that other fans started throwing things on the field triggering that pause in the game.
“It just puts a black eye on the Dodger’s market because 99.9% of the people are not like that,” Zazueta said. “You get those one-percenters that just ruin for everybody.”
The Dodgers didn’t comment on the fan behavior Sunday night, but fans put a lot of the blame for the game interruption on the Padres players for egging on the crowd.
“When I saw the video of him actually taunting – like when you go back and look what he’s doing, back and forth, I can see why – even though it wasn’t correct – for throwing items onto the field,” Dodgers fan Javier Gonzalez said.
The Los Angeles Police Department said no arrests were made at the stadium Sunday night.
Game 3 of the NLDS is slated for Tuesday in San Diego.
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