The New York Mets took an early lead in game two of the NLDS against the Los Angeles Dodgers on Saturday night. However, a controversial play occurred in the seventh inning, completely shifting the momentum in the game in favor of the Dodgers. It allowed Zach Greinke and the Dodgers to even the NLDS at one game apiece.
Dodgers’ infielder Chase Utley, in an attempt to break up a double play in the seventh inning, slid aggressively into second base, resulting in a collision that fractured Mets’ shortstop Ruben Tejada’s right fibula. The Dodgers offense was able to rally from four runs in the seventh inning which helped them claim a 5-2 victory.
The entire complexion of the game changed very suddenly with that play. With the Mets leading 2-1, Enrique Hernandez of the Dodgers was on third base, and Chase Utley was on first base with only one out for the Dodgers, when Howie Kendrick hits a ground ball to Mets’ second baseman Daniel Murphy, who fielded it and flipped it to shortstop Ruben Tejada for an apparent force out at second. However, Tejada was unable to complete the play thanks to Utley’s slide, which sent Tejada head over heals.
Ruben Tejada, unfortunately, was taken off the field by a cart after sustaining what appeared to be a serious leg injury. It was later confirmed that the Mets Tejada suffered a fractured fibula, meaning postseason is officially over.
The tying run scored on the play, and it was later determined by replày that Tejada was unable to record the force out, because his toe missed the bag. Utley was ruled safe, despite never clearly touching the base himself. However, he voluntarily ran off the field. The Dodgers went on to score three more runs in innings to break the game open.
It was a very wild sequence that changed the game and potentially the series on multiple levels. Aside from whether the play was illegal or called properly on the field, there’s issue of Tejada’s injury and how both sides will ultimately react to the play. It will undoubtedly overshadow all that happened before it in Saturdays game, including the superb pitching duel.
Both Noah Syndergaard and Zach Greinke were nothing short of outstanding in the encore to a historic strikeout fest on Friday night. Greinke and Syndergaard were every bit as stingy, even if their strikeout totals were some what lackluster in comparison to those of Jacob deGrom and Clayton Kershaw. Syndergaard tallied nine strikeouts while Greinke finished with eight.
As the NLDS shifts to Citi Field in New York on Monday, things will surely heat up. Not only will the controversial slide be on the mind of every Mets fan, but it is a pivotable game three for both teams.
For the home team Mets, it’ll be Matt Harvey (13-8, 2.71), who’ll no doubt be chomping at the bit to go, facing off with Brett Anderson (10-9, 3.69) of the Dodgers
The first pitch is scheduled for 8:07 p.m.
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