Editorials

Dodgers Video: Chase Utley’s Slide Injures Ruben Tejada

Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports
Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports

The Los Angeles Dodgers’ efforts to tie their best-of-five National League Division Series matchup with the New York Mets took an early hit as solo home runs from Yoenis Cespedes and Michael Conforto gave New York a 2-0 lead in the second inning.

Mets rookie Noah Syndergaard came out of the gate with a little extra behind his fastball, regularly touching 100 mph in the early stages. The Dodgers managed to cut their deficit in half in the fourth inning, but still trailed 2-1 heading to the bottom of the seventh.



Following a Kiké Hernandez one-out walk, Chase Utley pinch-hit for Greinke. Utley lined a base hit over Daniel Murphy’s head to put runners on the corners. Bartolo Colon replaced Syndergaard and induced Howie Kendrick into a grounder up the middle.

Murphy got his glove on it, and tossed over to Tejada at second base. Utley broke up a potential inning-ending double play with a late, hard slide. Hernandez scored on the fielder’s choice to tie the game, and Tejada remained down on the ground.

After being tended to by the Mets training staff, Tejada was removed from the game. It was later announced he suffered a fractured right fibula. Making matters worse for the Mets, Dodgers manager Don Mattingly successfully challenged the out call, which put Utley back on base.

Adrian Gonzalez hit a two-run double, and Justin Turner capped the inning of with an RBI double as the Dodgers went on to tie the series amid plenty of controversy.

Staff Writer

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9 Comments

  1. I thought two things happened here. First it was a dirty, intentionally late, high slide by Utley. Second thing was Tehada never had a play to first and should have moved out of the way. I thought he needlessly put himself in jepordy.

  2. Lamont, I agree that it was dirty and late. It was not high. Utley’s feet were down and he was clearly on the ground when he hit him. Other than that minor point I agree with everything you said

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