Game One of NLCS interrupted as fans throw debris

Oct 12, 2007 - 5:55 AM DENVER (Ticker) -- Jeff Francis threw a gem, but Game One of the National League Championship Series may better be remembered for what the fans threw instead.

The Colorado Rockies' 5-1 triumph over the Arizona Diamondbacks on Thursday in the opener of their best-of-seven NLCS was interrupted for about 10 minutes in the seventh inning when fans started throwing debris after a controversial interference call at second base.

With runners on first and second with nobody out and Colorado leading, 5-1, the umpires awarded the Rockies a double play. They ruled that Arizona's Justin Upton, who was running from first to second on a ground ball hit by Augie Ojeda, interfered with second baseman Kaz Matsui, who was attempting to make a relay throw to first base.

"You had an obvious intent on the part of the runner to break up the double play and when it turns into intentional that is when he is out for interference," second base umpire Larry Vanover said. "Once he got up to the base I thought he threw his hip up into the guy and his intent is not to get to the base.

Upton went in hard and hit the bag, but popped up, threw his right arm out and rolled Matsui off his feet.

"Obviously I was surprised by the call because I thought I was playing the game of baseball," Upton said. "I went in and that is what I am suppose to do, but the umpire made the decision and there is nothing I can do about it."

Fans, mostly in the upper deck in right field, pelted the field with plastic water bottles and other debris, prompting Rockies manager Clint Hurdle to pull his club off the field.

"(Hurdle) felt that the fans could not hear the announcements," Vanover said. "I believe there were three or four announcements and they couldn't hear them. So he took the players off the field. We've got to do something, so we're going to take a shot at it. We're going to bring the players back and we are going to go out on the field and we're going to try to fight this thing."

Order was quickly restored and the Rockies returned to the field three minutes later and escaped the inning unscathed.

Approximately 20 people were kicked out and 10 others were arrested.

"Obviously, we don't condone that," Melvin said. "You don't want stuff being thrown on the field. We're not in favor of that."

Francis allowed a run and seven hits in 6 2/3 innings to improve to 2-0 in the postseason and 5-0 against Arizona at Chase Field.

"I've had some success here in the past," Francis said. "You take it for what it is. I just try to go out and execute."

"He's seen a lot of these hitters and has good command," said Hurdle when asked to explain Francis' success against Arizona. "He has a slow heart beat and that doesn't hurt."