By Jon Weisman
For nearly seven innings, it was another nail-biting pitchers’ duel, a rush of speed chess with the Dodgers again one move behind.
And then, the Dodgers flipped the board, suddenly and violently.
A four-run inning, lit aflame by Chase Utley’s takeout slide of Mets shortstop Ruben Tejada at second base, lifted the Dodgers to a 5-2 victory in Game 2 of the National League Division Series, evening the matchup at one win apiece.
Tejada suffered a broken right fibula on the play, which we discuss at length in a separate story.
A pair of homers to right in the second inning, each out of the ordinary in its own way, put Dodger starting pitcher Zack Greinke in an unexpected 2-0 hole.
Leading off the inning, Yoenis Cespedes took a 2-2 pitch — that was several inches outside — the opposite way to right field for a home run. According to ESPN Stats and Information, it was the farthest outside pitch that Cespedes has homered in his career.
Two outs later — including a Corey Seager catch of a Texas Leaguer with his back to home plate — Michael Conforto blistered a line drive at the foul pole in right field. With a launch angle of 18 degrees and a distance of 346 feet, it was both the lowest and shortest home run at Dodger Stadium this year.
Greinke allowed no more runs over the rest of his seven innings, and with three double plays behind him, the Mets didn’t even have a man left on base. But until the next-level bottom of the seventh inning began, Greinke was still trailing.
Noah Syndergaard came out throwing as hard as I’ve ever seen a starting pitcher fire them at Dodger Stadium. His first pitch of the game was 99 mph, his second 100, and soon he had multiple at 101. He wasn’t locating perfectly, but it was trial by fire for the Dodger batters.
Justin Turner and Andre Ethier roped back-to-back doubles in the bottom of the fourth to bring the Dodgers within one. That inning ended the same way the bottom of the fourth ended the night before — with a Dodger pitcher (Clayton Kershaw on Friday, Greinke tonight) driving one deep into a gap with two on and two out, only for it to be caught on the fly.
Syndergaard retired six of his next seven batters, bringing us to the bottom of the seventh inning with one out, when he walked Kiké Hernandez. Chase Utley, pinch-hitting for Greinke, lined a single over second baseman Daniel Murphy’s head. Hernandez paused to see if Murphy might catch it, and could only advance to third.
Bartolo Colon relieved Syndergaard, who had thrown 115 pitches. Then it happened.
After fouling off a squeeze bunt to go down in the count 0-2, Howie Kendrick hit a slow ground ball to Murphy. Murphy flipped to shortstop Ruben Tejada. Utley bore down on Tejada, and took him out with a massive, instantly controversial slide.
The upshot was not only that the Hernandez scored the tying run, but on a replay review, Utley was declared safe at second because Tejada never stepped on the base.
Against new Mets reliever Addison Reed, Adrian Gonzalez lined a double down the line to drive home Utley and Kendrick. Turner followed with his second double of the game and third of the NLDS for another run.
Chris Hatcher and Kenley Jansen sealed the victory, Hatcher pitching a perfect eighth and Jansen giving up a harmless walk in an otherwise spotless ninth. The game ended, but the conversation has only just begun.
paulgarzajr
First, take another look – Kendrick did not hit a ‘slow ground ball’ it was hit pretty well Second, what is the controversy? Are we going to buy into the national sports media (including the TBS talking heads) who have to crease stories (Cosell, you left an awful legacy)?
Utley did what all baseball players are taught to do – slide hard to break up the double play. Unfortunately, Tejada got a very poor lead toss and tried to compensate by turning his back. It is sad to see him injured. Why isn’t anybody on Murphy for making a poor play that exposed Tejada to injury. Hate to sound like an old man, but in my day coaches would have been all over Murphy.
Michael Sweeney
If you saw the NLDS game this evening between the LA Dodgers and the NY Mets, I hope you were as disturbed as I was witnessing the reckless slide by LA’s Garret Utley that wound up breaking shortstop Ruban Tejada’s leg eliminating him from playing for the rest of the playoff season and potentially threatening his career. I think baseball needs an unsportsman like conduct rule when someone purposefully tries to injure some one by throwing at their head or in the case of Utley’s slide physically and recklessly taking out Ruban Tejada. I think Utley should be suspended and fined for “unsportsman” like conduct. We no longer play baseball like they did back in Ty Cobb’s day. We no longer allow spitters or chewing gum or other material like pine tar placed on the ball or the bat like they did in the “good ole’ days and we should not allow slide’s like Utley’s to go without a fine or suspension. Otherwise you are going to see some retaliatory actions. Recall Matt Holiday’s questionable late slide on Marco Scutaro in the 2012 playoffs. Scutaro suffered a back injury that essentially ended his career. Matt Holiday is still playing in the major leagues and making big money. If I was Utley I would be ashamed of my behavior and his teammates trying to justify this kind of behavior as “being the way the game is played” should join the 21st century.
throwdeuce
The problem is Utley wasn’t purposely trying to hurt Tejeda. He made that slide trying to break up a potential double play. I agree it was a late slide though. And agree that Murphy’s throw to the bag help put Tejeda in a bad position to cause an injury. A good throw and Tejeda doesn’t get hurt.
Al Kenderes (@Coach__K)
Without getting into the politics of a play which will be passionately discussed by both Met’s and Dodger fans in the days to come (if not for years to come). I feel bad that Ruben had such a terrible injury. I also hope that it will not result in anyone else getting hurt because of it. I hope his injury heals with out any after effects and he will be able to continue his career.
I felt the situation called for a squeeze as soon as I learned Colon was coming in to relieve. I believe it was the correct call due: 1) due to his size and lack of speed Colon not being able to get to a well placed bunt, 2) Hernandez being the quick runner at 3rd who could get a great jump and lastly to avoid an rally killing double play. The only thing I am not sure of is Howie’s ability to bunt.The announcers thought that Kendrick’s attempted squeeze was his own call, not Mattingly’s call. I felt it should have been Mattingly’s call and the best time to do it was on the first pitch from Colon, the element of surprise was there.
Mark Hagerstrom
Not sure why the announcers reached that conclusion. Would have been a nice question for Donnie, but the subsequent play has drawn all of the attention of the media.