It goes without saying that Adrian Gonzalez‘s dramatic bases-loaded two-RBI single with one out in the top of the ninth inning was the game-winner in Sunday night’s 4-2 victory over the New York Mets in front of 42,287 Chase Utley-hating fans at Citi Field. But it was two enormously huge walks off of Mets star closer Jeurys Familia that set the table (pun intended) for the Dodgers’ “butter and eggs man,” as Hall of Fame broadcaster Vin Scully affectionately calls Gonzalez.
Although Justin Turner‘s five-pitch walk just ahead of AGon put the potential go-ahead run 90 feet away at third base, it was the absolutely outstanding seven-pitch walk by Dodgers rookie shortstop Corey Seager that allowed both Turner and Gonzalez to come to the plate; and trust me, there is no one the Dodgers would rather have at the plate in this situation than the butter and eggs man – no one.
With the count even at 1-1, Seager fouled off two consecutive pitches from Familia – one a very good 86-MPH slider in on the hands and the second a wicked 96-MPH sinking fastball that Seager just got a piece of. The 22-year-old Rookie of the Year hopeful then took a 99-MPH fastball that just missed inside. This was followed by another 87-MPH slider in the dirt to bring the count to 3-2. Seager then took yet another sinking fastball – this one clocked at 98 MPH – that also just missed inside for ball four, and just like that the Dodgers now had left fielder Kiké Hernandez – who had singled to leadoff the inning – in scoring position at second base.
To see a 22-year-old rookie in that kind of intense high leverage situation and put together an at-bat like that speaks volumes about Corey Seager. In fact, Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw, who manager Dave Roberts pulled from the game at the 114-pitch mark with two outs and a runner on first in the bottom of the eighth inning, was the very first guy to congratulate Seager on his outstanding at-bat when he returned to the Dodgers clubhouse after the game.
Although Sunday night’s victory gave the Dodgers a two-games-to-one series win over the Mets, they couldn’t get out of town fast enough – especially for Dodgers second baseman Chase Utley, who not only endured three days of boos and chants of “Ut-ley Sucks” with each plate appearance, but actually used them to stoke his fire. The 37-year-old Pasadena, California native finished the three-game set going 4 for 12 (.333) with two home runs (including a grand slam) and a remarkable nine RBIs.
If this is a true measure of Chase Utley sucking, Dodger fans can only hope that he continues to suck for the remainder of the season.
It was a typical Kershaw game, minus the win. He wasn’t around at the finish but I felt he was still in the game in spirit. AGon did his thing as he often does and Kenley put the icing on the cake.