The Los Angeles Dodgers surged past the New York Mets on Saturday night thanks to a big seventh inning.
But their breakout frame didn’t come without controversy.
The Dodgers entered the inning trailing by one run in Game 2 of the National League Divisional Series at Dodger Stadium. With one out and runners at the corners, Howie Kendrick hit a potential double-play ball, but Dodgers baserunner Chase Utley broke up the turn by taking out Mets shortstop Ruben Tejada with a hard, late slide.
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Tejada immediately left the game and later was diagnosed with a fractured right fibula. He’ll miss the rest of the postseason.
Unsurprisingly, Utley’s slide generated a pretty strong reaction around the league. While takeout slides are part of the game, many current and former players believed Utley’s crossed the line.
When your back leg lands pass the bag, it's dirty.
— Alex (@ac13alex) October 11, 2015
If that was a superstar shortstop we would have a Tulo Rule being enforced tomorrow
— Justin Upton (@JUST_JUP) October 11, 2015
Since when was starting your slide past the bag OK? I get that you're playing hard but that was not a slide, that was a dive! #cmonman
— DP (@DaltonPompey) October 11, 2015
Not at all. Don't agree with the slide. It was Late. RT @DrHietanen: @middlebrooks so you would start a slide past the base? Interesting.
— Will Middlebrooks (@middlebrooks) October 11, 2015
The replay shows Utley didn’t even touch second base, instead directly targeting Tejada in a slide he didn’t initiate until he was parallel with the bag. Yet Utley was ruled safe after an umpire review determined Tejada’s foot wasn’t on the bag when he caught the ball.
The Dodgers went on to score four runs in the inning en route to a 5-2 win that evened the series at one game apiece.
Thumbnail photo via Jayne Kamin-Oncea/USA TODAY Sports Images
