With one hard and dirty slide by Chase Utley the New York Mets were suddenly outplayed by the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game 2 of the NLDS.
By Robby Sabo
If the Los Angeles Dodgers wind up winning this NLDS, there will be one play that’ll easily be pointed to as the turning point.
That play occurred in the seventh-inning.
With runners on the corners and one out, Terry Collins turned to his bullpen after his starter, Noah Syndergaard, pitched beautiful one-run ball over 115 pitches. Bartolo Colon entered to face Howie Kendrick, and chaos ensued.
Kendrick hit a grounder up the middle which Daniel Murphy got to and flipped to Ruben Tejada at second. Tejada touched second, but couldn’t fire to first for the potential double-play because of one Chase Utley, a man who’s been a thorn in the side of the Mets for so long.
#GottaSeeIt: Chase Utley injures #Mets shortstop Ruben Tejada with a hard slide into second base. http://t.co/I6vk8n77QD #Postseason
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) October 11, 2015
It was a hard, late and vicious slide that shook up both players. The tying run came across the plate and Utley was called out at second. Tejada fractured his fibula and Utley was smacked in the head by Tejada’s knee.
However, Don Mattingly challenged the play. After further review Utley was called safe because Tejada missed the bag.
This created all sorts of confusion and anger.
Was it a neighborhood play? The play that cannot be reviewed at second base. Did Utley get out of the base-path, or slide way too late? Was it dirty all together?
The worst part about it for Mets fans was the fact that Utley didn’t even touch the bag himself. Upon breaking Tejada’s leg and being called out, he sprinted to the Dodgers dugout. Nevertheless, he was ruled safe and MLB later confirmed that is allowed.
MLB tells me prior to review umps on field determined play was reviewable as a force play not the neighborhood play.
#Mets #dodgers
— Joel Sherman (@Joelsherman1) October 11, 2015
Form MLB: After viewing
all relevant angles, the Replay Official definitively determined that the fielder's foot was not in contact (cont)
— Joel Sherman (@Joelsherman1) October 11, 2015
with second base at any time when he had possession of the ball. The call is OVERTURNED, the runner is safe. #Mets #Dodgers
— Joel Sherman (@Joelsherman1) October 11, 2015
Ruben Tejada left tonight's game with a fractured right fibula. #Mets
— New York Mets (@Mets) October 11, 2015
Furthermore, this wasn’t the first time Utley has tagged Tejada at second:
Here's what Chase Utley did to Ruben Tejada in 2010 at Philly: http://t.co/cuqkPyCGy3
— Adam Rubin (@AdamRubinESPN) October 11, 2015
Also, it’s not the first time this season Utley has slid wide of the bag:
Video of Utley slide in a game a month ago pic.twitter.com/A0FhNRMbp0
— Mike Rosenberg (@RosenbergMerc) October 11, 2015
In any event, the Utley slide didn’t make Addison Reed get tattooed to the tune of two hits and three runs (2 ER for Noah Syndergaard) after that. The Mets fell behind 5-2 after seven, a lead they couldn’t even come close to climbing back from.
We head to the 9th. #Mets pic.twitter.com/K22bXNxzSw
— New York Mets (@Mets) October 11, 2015
Speaking of Syndergaard, the kid was fabulous tonight. His only blemish (aside from leaving two runners on in the seventh) came in the fourth when Justin Turner drove one in.
Dodgers starter Zack Greinke was on the hook for a loss after he allowed to solo shots to Michael Conforto and Yoenis Cespedes.
First postseason at bat, first postseason homer. Watch @mconforto8 leave the yard: http://t.co/tskDErSwzj pic.twitter.com/G9LN7JGGGO
— New York Mets (@Mets) October 11, 2015
With the series now tied at one game apiece, the Mets will turn to Matt Harvey on Monday night back in New York.
1-1
FINAL: #Dodgers 5, Mets 2
#LALovesOctober pic.twitter.com/WMKOHigbgA
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) October 11, 2015
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