Chase Utley plays small ball and big ball, eclipses .200 mark

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Chase Utley’s fourth home run of the season and first since May 1 was an important one.

It pulled the Phillies to within two runs in the bottom of the sixth inning and kept them within striking distance until Jay Bruce, Ryan Howard, Maikel Franco, Odubel Herrera, Carlos Ruiz and Darin Ruf could team up on what became a 5-4 win over Cincinnati on Tuesday night (see game story). Lest we forget, the Phillies’ bullpen was also pretty good.

The comeback started with Utley’s homer to right against Johnny Cueto.

And the homer may have started with a bunt hit in the first inning. With Cincinnati shifting him to the pull side, Utley pushed a bunt toward the vacant third-base area and beat it out.

Manager Ryne Sandberg loved it. Said it set the course for Utley's night.

“I was impressed with the bunt against the shift,” Sandberg said. “That’s one way to create some momentum and I think it started his game for him. That’s a good feeling to have a hit under your belt at the start of the game. That was a good play and it started his night.”

More and more hitters are being shifted these days. Few try to combat it with a bunt to an unoccupied area.

“I saw the third baseman essentially playing shortstop so I figured I’d try it out, get on base and see if we could create something,” Utley said.

Bunting on a shift is one way for a hitter to see fewer shifts.

“It’s not that easy, but over the course of the year, guys (who are being shifted) should try it,” Utley said. “Whether it works or not it gets the defense thinking a little.”

Utley had three hits in the game, a third of the Phillies’ total. The big night pushed his batting average over .200 for the first time this season, leaving him at .207, not good, but a lot better than the .099 average he carried after the game on May 8. In 22 games since then, Utley has hit .342 (25 for 73) with a .908 OPS.

“Obviously the first month didn’t go as planned,” Utley said.

“It became frustrating at times,” he added. “You know you’re putting together decent at-bats and probably deserve some hits here and there. For whatever reason, they weren’t falling. You try not to change, but mentally it can be tough.

“The last month has been better. I just have to keep building on that. Any time you get results it builds confidence and a confident hitter is a good hitter.”

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