WASHINGTON — A game between the San Diego Padres and Washington was suspended in the sixth inning Saturday night after a shooting outside Nationals Park that caused echoes of gunfire inside the stadium and prompted fans to scramble for safety in the dugout.

Two people were shot, said Dustin Sternbeck, a Metropolitan Police Department spokesman. Investigators believe, based on preliminary information, that one of the victims was an employee at the stadium, he said.

Washington police later tweeted that “two additional victims associated with this incident walked into area hospitals for treatment of gunshot wounds.”

“It was just a chaotic scene,” umpire crew chief Mark Carlson told The Associated Press. “We heard what sounded like rapid gunfire. We didn’t know where it was coming from.”

The Padres had just taken the field for the bottom of the sixth when several loud pops were heard from the left-field side of the ballpark.

Fans sitting in left field quickly began leaving through the center-field gate. A short time later, fans along the first-base side began briskly leaving their seats. Some fans crowded into the Padres’ dugout on the third-base side for safety as sirens could be heard from outside the park.

The Nationals then announced there had been an incident outside the stadium and posted a message on the scoreboard telling fans to remain inside the stadium.

About 10 minutes later, the team tweeted: “A shooting has been reported outside of the Third Base Gate at Nationals Park. Fans are encouraged to exit the ballpark via the CF and RF gates at this time.”

More than two dozen police cars, ambulances and fire engines were on the street outside the third-base side of the stadium and a police helicopter hovered overhead.

The Padres led 8-4 when the game was halted. It will be resumed Sunday afternoon, followed by the regularly scheduled game.

METS: Shortstop Francisco Lindor is out indefinitely because of a strained oblique and ace Jacob deGrom is sidelined because of forearm tightness, the NL East leaders announced in their latest round of health setbacks.

The Mets didn’t put a timetable on Lindor’s return, but such injuries can often take a month or more to heal.

“I’d love to say I’m day-to-day, but I’m not,” Lindor said.

DeGrom felt discomfort Friday while throwing a bullpen session at Pittsburgh. An MRI hours later showed there was forearm tightness but no structural damage.

The right-hander hasn’t yet been slotted back into the rotation and there is no projection on when deGrom might pitch again.

“Right now, we’re treating the player for what he feels,” Manager Luis Rojas said. “That’s how we’re approaching day to day until he feels good and can throw.”

DeGrom is 7-2 with a major league-leading 1.08 ERA in 15 starts despite being hampered by multiple ailments. He last pitched July 7 against Milwaukee.

WHITE SOX: The Chicago White Sox and All-Star right-hander Lance Lynn agreed to a $38 million, two-year contract extension.

Lynn, 34, is 9-3 with an AL-best 1.99 ERA in 16 starts in his first season with Chicago. He was acquired in a December trade with Texas for right-hander Dane Dunning and lefty Avery Weems.

Lynn will make $18.5 million each of the next two seasons. The White Sox have an $18 million option for 2024 with a $1 million buyout.

BRAVES: Trying to fill another injury hole with a trade, Atlanta acquired veteran catcher Stephen Vogt from the Arizona Diamondbacks for minor league first baseman Mason Berne.

The 36-year-old Vogt, a two-time All-Star with Oakland, is hitting .212 with five homers and 17 RBI in 52 games this season. He has thrown out 10 of 30 runners attempting to steal.

Atlanta, hoping to chase down the New York Mets and win its fourth straight NL East title, has struggled to replace injured catcher Travis d’Arnaud.

SATURDAY’S GAMES

TIGERS SWEEP TWINS: Miguel Cabrera’s bloop single in the eighth inning scored Jonathan Schoop from first base, and Detroit completed a doubleheader sweep against visiting Minnesota with a 5-4 win.

In Game 1, Robbie Grossman hit a leadoff homer in bottom of the first and four pitchers combined on a two-hitter for the Tigers in a 1-0 victory.

INDIANS 3, ATHLETICS 2: Franmil Reyes hit his 15th home run into a luxury suite in center field, and Cleveland won at Oakland.

Reyes crushed an 0-1 pitch from J.B. Wendelken high over the center-field fence in the eighth. The ball traveled a projected 437 feet into an open window of a luxury suite where a handful of fans were sitting.

Cal Quantrill (2-2) threw five effective innings to win his second consecutive start.

CUBS 4, DIAMONDBACKS 2: Willson Contreras capped Chicago’s three-run ninth inning with a two-run homer, sending the Cubs to a victory in Phoenix.

Chicago was down 2-1 before it rallied with two out in the ninth. Rafael Ortega doubled and scored on Robinson Chirinos’ pinch-hit single off Joakim Soria (1-4). Contreras then hit a drive to left for his 14th homer.

Craig Kimbrel worked the ninth for his 369the career save, snapping a tie with Jonathan Papelbon for ninth on baseball’s all-time list.

BRAVES 9, RAYS 0: Joc Pederson hit a two-run homer in his first start with Atlanta, Max Fried had a two-run double among three hits while throwing seven dominant innings, and the Braves won at home.

Fried (7-5) did not allow a baserunner to reach second. The left-hander gave up four hits with one walk and had seven strikeouts. Fried’s career-high three hits included the two-run double in a six-run fourth inning.

Pederson, acquired in a trade with the Chicago Cubs on Thursday, hit leadoff and started in right field, filling roles held by Ronald Acuna Jr. before his season-ending knee injury on July 10.

WHITE SOX 10, ASTROS 1: Lucas Giolito pitched a three-hitter, José Abreu launched a three-run homer and Chicago won at home.

Tim Anderson, Zack Collins and rookies Gavin Sheets and Jake Burger also went deep as the White Sox broke out against the Astros after dropping the first five games in the season series by a combined 34-9 score.

CARDINALS 3, GIANTS 1: Kwang Hyun Kim tossed six shutout innings, Tyler O’Neill and Paul Goldschmidt homered and St. Louis snapping visiting San Francisco’s five-game winning streak.

ORIOLES 8, ROYALS 4: Ryan Mountcastle and Ramon Urias each had two RBI, and visiting Baltimore ended a five-game losing streak.

DODGERS 9, ROCKIES 2: Max Muncy had two home runs and five RBI, Mookie Betts had a homer among his four extra-base hits before leaving because of a hip problem, and visiting Los Angeles won its fourth straight.

PIRATES 9, METS 7: Jacob Stallings’ grand slam in the bottom of the ninth inning off closer Edwin Diaz rallied Pittsburgh to a win at home.

Trailing 6-0, the Pirates scored five runs in the eighth and four in the ninth.

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