Quake, rattle, roll: Padres beat Dodgers 3-2 during shaker

By Beth Harris LOS ANGELES (AP) >> Eric Lauer was on the Dodger Stadium mound when he heard the crowd suddenly get loud and wondered why.

“I thought there was like a streaker at first and then I looked around, there was nobody,” he said. “I thought there was a fight in the stands.”

Lauer kept pitching, throwing two strikes in the midst of a strong earthquake that rattled the stadium during San Diego’s 3-2 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers on Friday night.

“Not many people can say they threw a strike during an earthquake,” Lauer said. “My ball, my pitch, started an earthquake.”

Early magnitude estimates from the U.S. Geological Survey wavered between 6.9 and 7.1.

Lauer didn’t realize it until he returned to the dugout and his teammates asked if he felt it.

“I was locked in no matter what,” he said. “When you really focus in there’s not a lot that can distract you.”

All-Star lefty Clayton Kershaw pitched seven sharp innings for the Dodgers, but the loss snapped their ninegame home winning streak.

Kershaw was in the tunnel between the dugout and clubhouse during the quake and said he didn’t feel it.

“We really couldn’t feel it as much on the field as the people in the upper deck, so there was a lot of commotion going on,” said Dodgers manager Dave Roberts, who was quickly informed of the cause. “Dodger Stadium held up.”

Lauer was facing Enriquè Hernàndez when the quake struck in the fourth. Lauer’s first three pitches of the atbat — including two strikes — came during the shaking that unnerved some fans in the crowd of 49,790 enough to move from their seats in the upper reserve level and caused the press box to lurch for several seconds.

The TV broadcast was marred by the camera bouncing up and down.

Hearing the crowd stirring, Hernàndez stepped out of the batter’s box after Lauer’s third pitch. He eventually flied out to left field to end the inning.

“He didn’t feel it, either, so he was kind of wondering what all the ruckus was about,” Roberts said. “I was hoping that he would hit the ball out of the ballpark, add to the commotion.”

Padres manager Andy Green said he felt the quake and noticed one of the foul poles swaying.

“I said to (coach) Rod (Barajas) that I’d love for Kikè Hernàndez to hit a ball right down the line where the foul pole sways in and the ball swings just foul based on that,” he said.

Nothing was said by the public address announcer regarding the quake.

“People were freaking out,” said Daniel Earle, a 52-year-old fan sitting with his wife in the reserve level. “I’m surprised my arm is still here. She was squeezing into it so hard.”