Mookie Betts gets the best of Jurickson Profar with HR and almost copies the play that caused the Padres-Dodgers drama

Mookie Betts wasn't going to be fooled again.

In a play that was almost a carbon copy of the one that sparked the drama in Game 2 between the Dodgers and Padres, Betts hit a deep fly ball just over the left field wall in his first at-bat Tuesday night.

But there was a key difference. This time Jurickson Profar didn't make the catch.

With one out in the top of the ninth in NLDS Game 3 on Tuesday, Betts threw the fly ball to Padres starter Michael King. Profar gave chase in left field and hit the ball over the short wall near the foul pole at Petco Park.

But he didn't think of it. The ball bounced off his glove and into the stands, leading to a solo home run.

From his vantage point on the basepaths, Betts wasn't so sure. And he had already been burned by Profar once. He apparently believed that Profar had caught the ball and was detouring from the path between first and second base across the diamond toward the Dodgers' dugout.

Only when the umpires confirmed a home run and third base coach Dino Ebel signaled for Betts to continue circling the bases did Betts resume his trot. Here's another angle that shows Betts almost making it to the pitcher's mound before turning around to end his home run streak.

And yes, this is a legal step. Since there was no defender playing against Betts, he did not have to stay on the basepath for his home run to be legal.

For comparison, here's Betts' near-home game from Sunday night at Dodger Stadium.

Like his home run on Tuesday, his fly ball on Sunday night went over a short wall near the foul pole in left field. Just like on Tuesday, Profar reached over the wall to make a play.

But on Sunday Profar made the catch. He took a moment to enjoy the catch and taunt the Dodgers fans in the stands before revealing that he had secured the out and robbed Betts of a home run. Betts was in the middle of the celebrations before Profar's big reveal.

Hence Betts' hesitation and muted celebration on Tuesday.

For Betts, the goal was a great success in several ways. It also broke an 0-for-22 playoff streak for the former MVP, who was 0-for-6 this postseason before Tuesday's home run.