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Dodgers manager Roberts said it was “troublesome” that Machado appeared to throw the ball at him in the dugout

Dodgers manager Roberts said it was “troublesome” that Machado appeared to throw the ball at him in the dugout

SAN DIEGO (AP) — Los Angeles manager Dave Roberts said it was “troubling” and “disturbing” that a ball thrown by San Diego third baseman Manny Machado into the Dodgers' dugout during the game was for seemed destined for him the Padres' 10-2 win in the second game of their NL Division Series, as tempers ran high on the field and in the stands at Dodger Stadium.

It was one of several incidents Sunday night that prompted Dodgers starter Jack Flaherty and Machado to exchange profanities as the Padres tied the series with Shohei Ohtani and the Dodgers at 1-1 by hitting six home runs. Two of those came from Fernando Tatis Jr., who was hit by a pitch from Flaherty, which also upset Machado. Flaherty also yelled at Machado after he put him out with two runners on in the sixth.

Roberts said he didn't notice Machado's throw in real time, but later saw video of the incident. “It was disturbing. … And the ball was pointed at me with something behind it.”

Roberts said the ball didn't hit him because of the net.

“That was very annoying. If it was directed at me, I would be very – it's pretty disrespectful,” Roberts said Monday before the Dodgers' early evening practice at Petco Park, where the series continues Tuesday night in front of a sellout crowd.

Third base umpire Tripp Gibson spoke to Machado, but Roberts said, “I don’t think they should have had a little mutual conversation. When players can throw balls at opposing managers, you know.”

Game 2 was delayed by 12 minutes After loud fans threw baseballs toward San Diego, outfielder Jurickson Profar left and then scattered the balls onto the outfield. Profar had robbed Mookie Betts of a home run in the first inning by reaching into the stands behind the low left field wall. He trolled fans by staring at them and then jumping up and down several times before throwing the ball into the infield.

Flaherty said Sunday night that Machado “did some shit between innings.” He threw a ball into our dugout. There was no reason for that.”

Asked about Flaherty's accusation, Machado said: “I throw balls into dugouts all the time. Both shelters. They have bad balls, so you throw the ball back in.”

Roberts spoke Monday about an hour after Machado briefly met with reporters.

Flaherty said he wished he had “held it together a little better.”

“It’s the playoffs, man. There are a lot of emotions,” Flaherty said. “I think it got out of hand yesterday because everyone from me and him to the fans got involved. There are emotions after the punchout, there are emotions after every home run. I didn't try to use any of this against him. I understand that they resent Tatis getting hit. We would react the same way if one of our guys got hit.”

“After that happened and he throws a ball, I wish he would have just let it run,” Flaherty added. “The referees did their job. They came in and talked to him. I don't want things to go like this. We want everything to stay on the field and focus on the game.”

Flaherty, who grew up in the Los Angeles area, was received from Detroit on July 30.

“I don’t try to be the player that goes back and forth with someone in the dugout,” Flaherty said. “I was done. Things have been said, it's hard to hear. We have to do things better on the field.”

The Dodgers are starting Walker Buehler, while the Padres are starting Michael King, who had 12 hits in his first playoff start a 4-0 win in Game 1 the Wild Card Series against Atlanta.

“It's good to have a day off shortly, to restart and train here. And tomorrow there will be a lot of emotions,” Roberts said.

Roberts grew up in northern San Diego County, played two seasons for the Padres and later served on their coaching staff, including as interim manager for one game after Bud Black was fired in 2015.

“Part of it is drowning out the noise. The other part of it is its use as fuel. So I think together we’ll be good to go,” Roberts said.

“I mean, clearly, the team over there likes the villain role and feeds off of it,” Roberts said. “Whatever drives us, the motivation, individually and collectively, is to win a baseball game, to win a series. It gets loud and loud. And it’s up to us to continue to stay focused and compete and fight.”

Profar said: “We love playing baseball and we play with a lot of energy. We always try to win.”

Tatis is 9 for 14 with three home runs and no strikeouts in four playoff games this year.

“He was on fire. He carried this team,” Machado said. “We all know what he is capable of. He will stop at nothing. For us to get where we want to go, he’s a big part of it.”

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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB

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