Major League Baseball

Utley hits back at jabs with Phillies' only homer

Published Oct. 11, 2010 10:06 a.m. ET

foxsports

CINCINNATI - He was booed lustily before the game and greeted with jeers of "Cheat-Er, Cheat-Er" during it.

So Chase Utley did what Chase Utley does at this time of year. He went deep.

Utley's fifth-inning bomb was his 10th career in the postseason, breaking the tie he held with Jayson Werth for the most in Phillies history. It almost came at the expense of some poor Reds fan, as well.

Utley's homer certainly cleared the right-centerfield wall, but when the fan stabbed at it with his glove, he nearly interfered with centerfielder Drew Stubbs. Somewhere, Steve Bartman was cringing.

A quick replay review by the umpires (73 seconds) confirmed the original call. Utley didn't think he got all of it when it left his bat, though.

"I knew I hit it OK. I hit a ball in the first inning I thought I hit better than that one," the second baseman said. "But lucky for us, the weather is still warm, and it's a good hitter's ballpark."

Utley's home run was the only one the Phillies hit in the series, and yet, tellingly, they were able to sweep the potent Reds. Thank you, Messieurs Halladay, Hamels and the bullpen. The Phillies had four extra-base hits in the three-game National League Division Series.

Utley's homer gave the Phillies a 2-0 lead, which was plenty of offense, considering the way lefthander Cole Hamels was pitching.

"Chase is what I call an everyday player," manager Charlie Manuel said. "Every single day, he brings it."

Utley heard it from the record crowd (44,599) at Great American Ball Park when he was introduced and then was showered with the "Cheater" chants during his at-bats, a corny reference to his phantom hit-by-pitch in Game 2. Utley said he didn't hear it.

"I think we've realized over the past few years that we try to tune out the crowd," he said, "and we do a good job of that."

Last fall against the New York Yankees, Utley tied Reggie Jackson's major league record with five home runs in a World Series.

"We feel like we have a good team, and when we put our pieces together and play good baseball, we have a feeling we can beat a lot of good teams," Utley said. "This is a good step."

Nice gestureAfter third baseman Scott Rolen struck out to end the game, a number of fans gave the Reds a standing ovation. The gesture was in appreciation of the team's unlikely run this season that resulted in an unexpected NL Central title and the organization's first playoff berth since 1995.

Evaluation of the night"I'm good when you throw no-hitters and shutouts," Manuel said. "I think I'm a pretty good manager. What do you think?" *