Dodgers’ Justin Turner on fans rushing the field: ‘It’s getting ridiculous’
Seconds after Kenley Jansen closed the Dodgers’ 3-2 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks on Tuesday night, a young boy ran onto the outfield at Chase Field and was tackled by security officers in center field before reaching the Dodgers’ three outfielders — Kyle Garlick, Enrique Hernandez, and Alex Verdugo — who were gathered in celebration.
It marked the third straight game in which a fan rushed the field to approach a Dodgers player. Cody Bellinger was the target of the first two instances during games Sunday at Dodger Stadium and Monday at Chase Field. He was not on the field Tuesday.
“It’s getting ridiculous,” Dodgers third baseman Justin Turner said. “It’s just not safe and it seems like they’re getting younger and younger and it’s going around now that nothing’s happening to these young kids. They just kind of get a slap on the wrist. So baseball’s going to have to do something to make it hurt enough to keep fans in the stands and not running out on the field.”
The boy’s father, who followed him onto the field, was arrested on charges of disorderly conduct and trespassing in the third degree, while the boy, a minor, was processed for the same two charges through juvenile detention, according to a Diamondbacks representative. Both were banned from Chase Field indefinitely.
On Sunday, the culprit was a minor who came up to Bellinger asking for a photo. She was not punished for her actions. Monday’s intruder was an 18-year-old woman who recorded a video of her interruption and published it on social media. She was also charged with disorderly conduct and trespassing and banned indefinitely from Chase Field, according to the Diamondbacks.
Major League Baseball was in touch with the two clubs after Monday’s incident and adjustments to security were expected, according to a person with knowledge of the situation.
“Something needs to happen,” Turner said, “to keep these kids in the stands and keep the players safe.”
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Twitter: @jorgecastillo
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