Dodgers’ Adrian Gonzalez wrestles with fan for foul ball

So here’s what you do when you’re a player going for a foul ball into the stands and a fan is reaching for the ball -- never assume he’s for the home team.

Or keenly aware of the situation or even particularly bright. Just figure, he wants the ball.

Dodgers first baseman Adrian Gonzalez probably figured he’d seen it all during his 12 years in the majors, but then came the fifth inning Monday night at Dodger Stadium.

The Dodgers, trying to close out the National League West and maintain their half-game lead over the Mets for homefield advantage, were in a 1-1 game with the Rockies. Colorado had a runner on first with no outs when catcher Tom Murphy fouled a Clayton Kershaw pitch high into the air in foul territory just beyond the Rockies dugout.

Gonzalez drifted over to the edge of the seats, leaned over a few feet into the stands and made a nice catch. Only an adult male in the first row was also trying to make the catch, his hands just under the glove of Gonzalez.

When the ball landed in the glove, the fan grabbed the dark mitt with both hands like he was trying to rip it of the hand of Gonzalez. It was like he was playing musical chairs and he was not going to relinquish that last chair even if someone was already sitting in it.

Maybe he was thinking the glove belong to another fan. Maybe he was thinking he could squeeze the ball out. And maybe he just wasn’t thinking.

“He kind of grabbed his whole wrist,� Kershaw said. “If he’s a Dodgers fan, that’s pretty ridiculous. If he’s not, it’s a great play I guess.�

Told that the fan was actually wearing a Red Sox cap, Kershaw said:

“Well, that doesn’t make any sense then.�

Other fans in the area appeared to be yelling at the fan in the Red Sox cap, and Gonzalez shared a few words before the fan finally released his grasp of the glove, now about knee-high between them.

First base umpire Laz Diaz leaned over the rail and signaled the out. The fan took a step away and held up both palms like it was no harm, no foul.

“He didn’t really do anything to take it away,� Gonzalez said.

But Gonzalez said he had never seen anything like the mini-wrestling match either.

“Nope,� Gonzalez said.

Play resumed and the Dodgers went on to win 4-1, not that the fan was around to see the finish. Any ball in the stands is fair game, but the fan made mistake of answering the catcalls by doffing his Red Sox cap, taking a bow and later yelling back to fans in the stands.

Shortly thereafter, he was escorted away by security.

From his position in the opposite dugout, Manager Don Mattingly did not have the best view of the freak play.

“I couldn’t tell exactly what happened but I could tell everyone was pretty rough on him,� he said. “We got the out. Was he a Dodger guy, he had a Dodger hat?�

Like Kershaw, Mattingly -- who played his entire 13-year career with the Yankees -- was told the fan was wearing a Red Sox cap.

“Awww -- get rid of him,� Mattingly said. “Now it makes sense.�