What was the biggest home run of Chase Utley’s Phillies career?
As one of the greatest players in Philadelphia Phillies history, Chase Utley undoubtedly has many great moments with the team. His short, quick swing and outstanding power for his position helped make for countless electric moments in his career, including 238 home runs in a Phillies uniform.
As he is the team leader in home runs for a second baseman, it can be hard to decide which of those many homers were Utley’s greatest in a Phillies uniform. So, Phillies Nation decided to take a look back at his career and rank the best long balls of “The Man’s” career in Philadelphia.
5. A Lowe point for the Dodgers
Game 1 of the 2008 National League Championship Series did not start out too well for the Phillies, but the team flipped the script with a huge sixth inning. Down 2-0 to the Los Angeles Dodgers and starter Derek Lowe, Shane Victorino reached on an error to lead off the bottom of the inning. Utley followed that up with a game-tying home run to right-center field. Left fielder Pat Burrell then hit a home run himself just two batters later as the Phillies downed the Dodgers, 3-2.
4. Utley and Howard go back-to-back
With the 2008 World Series tied at one win apiece, Game 3 at Citizens Bank Park was a key matchup for gaining momentum for the rest of the Series. The Phillies led the Tampa Bay Rays 2-1 in the bottom of the sixth inning, but three and four-hole hitters Utley and Ryan Howard made sure that did not last too long. They hit two home runs to right field in a row to make it a 4-1 ballgame. The Phillies went on to win the game, 5-4, on a walk-off infield single by catcher Carlos Ruiz.
3. Utley doubles down in Game One
This moment is a two-for-one special. In Game 1 of the 2009 World Series, Utley blasted two home runs off New York Yankees ace CC Sabathia in the third and sixth innings. Utley provided the game’s first two runs as the Phillies defeated the Yankees in New York by a score of 6-1 behind a complete game by Cliff Lee.
2. “A good start for the Phillies”
In the words of FOX broadcaster Joe Buck, it was indeed “a good start for the Phillies” in Game 1 of the 2008 World Series thanks to a first-inning home run by Utley. After Jayson Werth walked, Utley hit a home run to right field off Rays starter Scott Kazmir. That quickly gave the Phillies a 2-0 lead in a game they would win, 3-2. The Phillies ultimately defeated the Rays in five games to win the World Series.
1. World Series record
While the Phillies did not win the 2009 Series, their second baseman did make some history. Utley hit a three-run homer in the first inning of Game 5 off Yankees starter A.J. Burnett. Facing left-hander Phil Coke in the seventh inning, Utley then roped a home run into the right-field seats. His second home run of the game tied Reggie Jackson’s record for five home runs hit in a single World Series. That record was matched by George Springer of the Houston Astros in 2017.
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