It was Escalade vs. Photog outside of Craig's last night -- with Alex Rodriguez and Jennifer Lopez caught in the middle ... but it seems pretty clear the blame lies squarely with the paparazzi.
The power couple got in their waiting white SUV to leave the fancy L.A. restaurant -- and while the shutterbugs snapped away through the front windshield ... the driver began to pull out slowly.
During the flash frenzy, the driver clipped one of the photogs -- who dropped to the ground. You can hear witnesses yelling.