Chase Utley smack dab in the middle of a huge postseason moment?
Sounds about right.
And in the Dodgers' do-or-die Game 6 of the World Series on Tuesday night, Utley was doing so in the most Chase Utley way possible.
You guessed it - a hit by pitch.
The Dodgers were trailing the Astros, 1-0, in the bottom of the sixth inning when Utley came to the plate with a runner on first and no outs. Down in the count at 1-2 against a dealing Justin Verlander, No. 26 took a pitch low in the dirt ... and didn't move much. Utley, as he so effortlessly but eloquently does, wore the pitch right in the foot - and didn't mind one bit.
Just look at his reaction (pictures courtesy of USA Today Images).
Chase Utley showed no emotion while getting hit by a Justin Verlander pitch. #WorldSeries pic.twitter.com/TGeokiQ2Ow— Jeff Eisenband (@JeffEisenband) November 1, 2017
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Not surprisingly, Utley's guile turned out to be critical in the 3-1 win to force Game 7. The 38-year-old came around to score the go-ahead run during the Dodgers' two-run sixth inning, making a little history while at it.
Chase Utley is the oldest player to score the go-ahead run in a WS elimination game since Enos Slaughter in 1957 https://t.co/H6YjPMr5E9 pic.twitter.com/9SqeChYZb0— Baseball Reference (@baseball_ref) November 1, 2017
A baseball ricocheting off Utley is like us waking up in the morning - it's just natural. As we know, an HBP is just as good as a hit to Mr. Utley. After all, he's the Phillies' all-time leader with 173 plunk jobs.
Following this hit by pitch, Utley remained 0 for 14 this postseason.
In his mind, though, the box score will look much different.
And that's what you love about "The Man."
