Phillies: Mookie Betts ties Chase Utley in World Series feat

Mookie Betts joins Phillies legend Chase Utley in World Series history

Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Mookie Betts lived up to his star reputation in Tuesday’s rout of the Tampa Bay Rays in Game 1 of the World Series. At the same time, he joined 2008 Philadelphia Phillies champion Chase Utley as part of World Series history.

Leading off, Betts went 2-for-4 with a walk and RBI, but you have to dig deeper to see just how well Betts performed in the series-opening contest. With the Dodgers up by just one run in the fifth, Betts led off the inning with a walk and stole second. Two batters later, after Betts’ teammate walked, both stole bases to set up two runners in scoring position with only one out. The Dodgers capitalized, not only bringing both home but scoring four runs in the inning.

To lead off the following frame, Betts added an insurance run with a lead off home run. The Dodgers went on to win, 8-3, and are three wins shy of their first World Series championship since  1988.

Phillies fans may have felt déjà vu watching Betts in Game 1 against the Rays, as Utley put up nearly an identical performance, 12 years ago against them in the Fall Classic.

After Jayson Werth walked with one out in the top of the first, Utley put the Phillies on the board with a two-run home run to right. It would account for two-thirds of the team’s three runs that night in the eventual 3-2 victory.

Later in the game, Utley stole second base twice, in separate innings — with J.P. Howell (seventh inning) and Dan Wheeler (ninth inning) on the mound. No runs resulted in runs for the Phillies, as their third and final run scored in the fourth inning with a Carlos Ruiz infield groundout to score Shane Victorino from third.

According to the Elias Sports Bureau, Betts and Utley are the only players ever in World Series history with a home run and multiple stolen bases (both having stole two) in a single game. Both feats, of course, came against the Rays … in Game 1.

The Dodgers are hoping for a similar result that the Phillies had in 2008.