If you had to sum up yesterday – Friday the 13th – in one word, “emotional” is a word that many Dodger fans would use.

It began with anxiety when it was announced that 39-year-old / 16-year MLB veteran Chase Utley was going to hold an early afternoon press conference.

It didn’t take rocket science to figure out what the topic of the presser was going to be, which, of course, it was. The Pasadena, California native and former UCLA Bruin was hanging up his spikes after what many consider to be a Hall of Fame-worthy career.

In a Dodger Stadium media room built for (maybe) 25 people, a gathering of easily twice that many – including the entire Dodgers team, coaches, trainers, and clubhouse personnel – filled the chairs and lined the walls (and floor), as Utley told listeners that after being a part-time player, mentor, coach, and a variety of other ‘part time’ jobs, it was time for him to become a full-time father.

“I transitioned to a part-time player, something new for me, but I took it in stride,” the ever-stoic Utley said. “Also, a part-time strength coach, part-time pitching coach, occasionally part-time catching coach as well as a part-time general manager (drawing a laugh). The thing I’m having the most difficult time with is being a part-time dad. So that’s really the reason I’m shutting it down. I’m ready to be a full-time dad.”

Like I said, emotional.

This pretty much says all that needs to be said about how much Dodgers veteran second baseman Chase Utley is loved, revered and respected by everyone. (Photo courtesy LA Dodgers)

The good news for Utley fans – and believe me, there are many – is that the six-time All-Star, four-time Silver Slugger and 2008 World Series champion plans to finish out the 2018 season, with hopes of adding another World Championship to his Cooperstown résumé.

But what’s interesting and something not mentioned (and quite possibly never will be) is that Utley still has an additional year remaining on his 2-year / $2 million contract, which expires at the end of the 2019 season. In other words, the man affectionately known as ‘The Man’ is either walking away from a million bucks, or the Dodgers are willing to simply eat a million bucks.

But after the emotional press conference, there was a game to be played between the Dodgers and the Angels, and oh what a game it was.

With the Arizona Diamondbacks having already won their game against the Atlanta Braves earlier in the day, the Dodgers took the field on Friday evening knowing that they had to win to remain  atop the National League West, and even then by a precarious .5 games.

…and win they did – by a score of 3-2. But it’s how they won that furthered the emotional thing.

With two outs in the bottom of the first inning, Dodgers superhero Max Muncy hit his team-leading 22nd home run of the season, a towering 411-foot shot into the Right Field Pavilion, to give the Dodgers the early 1-0 lead. But in his first start since returning from the disabled list for a rib microfracture, 23-year-old Dodgers right-hander Walker Buehler allowed two solo home runs to Angels right fielder Kole Calhoun to accounted for both Halo runs and an Angels 2-1 lead.

Muncy slugged his team-leading 22nd home run in the bottom of the first inning to give the Dodgers an early 1-0 lead. (Video capture courtesy of SportsNet LA)

In his 6.0 innings of work, Buehler allowed only those two runs on six hits, while walking one and striking out five. Unfortunately, the Lexington, Kentucky native and Dodgers 2015 first-round draft pick (out of Vanderbilt) would not figure in the decision, as the Dodgers didn’t score their second and third runs until the bottom of the seventh inning. The first of those two runs came on an RBI single by (wait for it…) Max Muncy, and the second on a throwing error by (wait for it…) Angels right fielder Kole Calhoun on the same play, allowing suddenly red-hot Dodgers outfielder Joc Pederson to score from third base to give the Dodgers a tenuous 3-2 lead.

It was now up to the Jekyll and Hyde Dodgers bullpen to (try to) hold onto the lead.

…and that they did.

Without question, the battle between Dodgers right-hander Erik Goeddel and Angels future Hall of Famer (and always dangerous) Mike Trout in the top of the eighth inning was a turning point in the game. With one out and the bases empty, Goeddel struck out the Angels right fielder in an epic eight-pitch battle that included four foul balls. But in the end, Goeddel got Trout to chase a 94-mph fastball that was (gulp) right down the middle.

After a scoreless bottom of the eighth, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts called on (Jekyll and Hyde) left-hander Scott Alexander to try to close out the game. Why not Dodgers star closer Kenley Jansen, you ask? Because the Dodgers All-Star closer had been used on consecutive days, including a very difficult 29-pitch outing against the San Diego Padres the night before.

As he often does, Alexander had Dodger fans on the edge of their seats when he allowed a one out double to Angels pinch-hitter Shohei Ohtani. This was followed by an infield single to short by Angels catcher Jose Briceno, bringing pinch-hitter David Fletcher to the plate with one out and runners at the corners.

But just when it appeared that the Angels might tie the game with even a sacrifice fly (or worse), Scott Alexander dir exactly what the Dodgers signed Scott Alexander to do – he got Fletcher to hit a ground ball to Muncy at third base. With absolutely zero margin for error – literally – Muncy fired a bullet to second baseman Logan Forsythe, who they fired what very easily could have been (and should have been) a game-losing throw to first that pulled Dodgers first baseman (and birthday boy) Cody Bellinger way off the bag. But somehow, the soon-to-be Gold Glove Dodgers first baseman was able to make the catch, spin around, and tag the speedy Fletcher as he ran past for the game-saving and game-winning 5-4-3 double play.

Because of Forsythe’s (very) wide throw, Bellinger had to come off the bag to make the catch. He was then able to spin and tag out Fletcher as he ran by to complete the game-winning 5-4-3 double play.
(Video capture courtesy of SportsNet LA)

It was as incredible of a play by Bellinger as you will ever see, and it gave the Dodgers the win that they needed to remain in first place in the NL West.

Thankfully, it was Dr. Jekyll and not Mr. Hyde who came out of the Dodgers bullpen in the form of Caleb Ferguson (who picked up the win), Erik Goeddel (who had that huge strikeout of Mike Trout), and Scott Alexander (who induced the game-winning double play and collected his first save of the season).

But make no mistake about it, it was the smoking hot bat of Max Muncy and the stellar glove work of Cody Bellinger that brought a successful end to a very emotional day.

Play Ball!