Chase Utley Goes in Hard to Break Up Double Play, Injures Mets SS Ruben Tejada

There was a controversial play in the bottom of the seventh inning of Game 2 of the National League Division Series between the New York Mets and Los Angeles Dodgers on Saturday that has many baseball fans outraged and confused.

With runners on the corners with just one out, the Dodgers' Howie Kendrick hit a ball up the middle to Mets second baseman Daniel Murphy. Murphy threw it to shortstop Ruben Tejada at second base. Tejada had his back to the bag but still attempted to turn the double play.

However, Utley did everything he could to keep that from happening.

Utley slid into second base hard—and late—to keep Tejada from throwing to first base. There was a hard collision on the play, with the shortstop getting the worst of it.

The runner from third scored to tie the game, the runner at first was safe and Utley was ruled out—for the time being. The Dodgers challenged the ruling, and the call on the field was overturned.

It was determined that Tejada never touched second base, so Utley was ruled safe—even though he never touched the bag. (And no, the neighborhood play was apparently not in effect.)

Here's why Utley was ruled safe, per Joel Sherman of the New York Post: 

Tejada had to leave the game on a cart with his right leg in an air cast as a result of the slide. The Mets would later report the extent of the injury: 

Wilmer Flores took over at shortstop for the Mets.

Two batters after the controversial play, Adrian Gonzalez gave the Dodgers a 4-2 lead with a two-run double. Los Angeles had a 5-2 lead at the end of the frame.

Utley and Tejada have a bit of a history. Utley—then with the Philadelphia Phillies—also took out Tejada with a hard slide back in 2010:

[Twitter, MLB.com]