NEW YORK -- Chase Utley has heard a chorus of boos in each of his at-bats this series and was the target of an errant 99-mph fastball in the third inning from Mets starter Noah Syndergaard, apparent retaliation for Utley's takeout slide on former Mets shortstop Ruben Tejada in Game 2 of the 2015 National League Division Series.
The Dodgers' second baseman, though, has responded with big hit after big hit. A day after hitting a game-tying three-run double in the top of the ninth, Utley crushed a first-pitch changeup from Logan Verrett for a homer in the sixth to get Los Angeles on the board and followed that with a grand slam in the seventh to power the Dodgers to a 9-1 victory over the Mets at Citi Field on Saturday.
Syndergaard's fastball behind Utley in the third caused the right-hander to be immediately ejected from the game after allowing just two hits over 2 1/3 innings while striking out three. Mets manager Terry Collins was also ejected for arguing with home-plate umpire Adam Hamari's decision to toss his 23-year-old pitcher.
Syndergaard ejected for pitch
LAD@NYM: Syndergaard ejected after throwing at Utley
Tune in to FOX to watch the Mets vs. the Dodgers. Noah Syndergaard fires a pitch behind Chase Utley and is ejected, along with Terry Collins
To make matters worse, the Mets' bullpen served up five home runs -- solo shots to Adrian Gonzalez and Howie Kendrick in the eighth, a solo shot by Corey Seager in the ninth and Utley's pair. Los Angeles' only run not via the long ball came on an RBI single off the bat of Yasiel Puig in the sixth.
Utley crushes a grand slam
LAD@NYM: Utley belts a grand slam off Robles
Chase Utley cracks a grand slam in the 7th for his second homer of the day, breaking open the game #PapaSlam
Kenta Maeda picked up his fourth win of the season after surrendering just two hits and two walks over five shutout innings.
MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
Ruining the party: All of the energy at Citi Field because of the pregame ceremony honoring the Mets' 1986 World Series championship team was slowly sapped by New York's offense. Curtis Granderson and Michael Conforto each picked up singles in the first, but those would be the last hits the Mets would record until Juan Lagares homered in the eighth. In the 23-batter span between those hits, the Mets had only three baserunners.
Puig on the run: After taking over for Trayce Thompson in the fifth inning, Puig singled with two outs in the sixth and Gonzalez on second base. Puig took a big turn at first to assure a cutoff of the throw from the outfield, buying Gonzalez enough time to score before Puig was tagged out after a rundown.
Troy Provost-Heron is a reporter for MLB.com and covered the Mets on Saturday.
Ken Gurnick has covered the Dodgers for MLB.com since 2001.
This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
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