Dodgers Forced To Forfeit Umpire Awards Cards 2-1 Win After L.A. Fans Hurl Baseballs

The Los Angeles Dodgers forfeited a game to the St. Louis Cardinals in the ninth inning Thursday night after fans threw souvenir baseballs onto the field three times.

It was the first forfeit in the major leagues since July 12, 1979, when the second game of a doubleheader between Detroit and Chicago was called off after a raucous anti-disco promotion left the field unplayable.

The Cardinals were leading 2-1 in the bottom of the ninth when Raul Mondesi struck out leading off the inning. Mondesi was upset that the two previous pitches were called strikes, and was ejected by home plate umpire Jim Quick for arguing.

Manager Tom Lasorda came out and was ejected, too, and fans started throwing baseballs onto the field.

The umpires ordered the Cardinals to leave the field while the balls were being picked up. After the grounds crew finished, the Cardinals went back on the field and a few more balls were thrown. The umpires then called the game.

There also was a delay of about 6 minutes in the seventh inning when balls came flying out of the stands.

The forfeit overshadowed an outstanding pitching performance by Mark Petkovsek, who outdueled Hideo Nomo.

Petkovsek (5-3), who pitched the only shutout of the year against the Dodgers on June 20, allowed only five hits in 7-2/3 innings while walking three and striking out four.

Los Angeles scored a run in the eighth and had a chance for more, but Eric Karros, who had homered in three straight games, looked at a called third strike to end the inning with two runners left on base.

Karros argued the call with Quick and was ejected before the ninth inning began.