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Chase Utley Walks Up To 'Kashmir,' Standing Ovation In Final Regular Season Series Against Phillies

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PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- The Park was loud as former Phillie Chase Utley took his first at-bat in the final regular-season series against the Phillies on Monday night.

The former Phillies second baseman began his goodbye tour by raising his batting helmet to a standing-ovation crowd of Phillies fans Monday night with his notable walk-up song "Kashmir," by Led Zeppelin, playing in the background.

Dodgers' manager Dave Roberts allowed Utley to start at second base in the first game of this pivotal series between a pair of first-place teams.

But all anyone wanted to talk about or focus on before the game was Utley, who announced a few weeks ago that this would be his last season before turning 40 in December.

Utley made the announcement with the Phillies and one last visit—maybe—to Citizens Bank Park before his retirement.

"I've been thinking about this a while now and trying to figure out how I wanted to go out," Utley said. "I thought it was important to let the Philadelphia Phillies fans now that this is going to be the last time that I'll have the chance to play in this ballpark. It was a huge factor in the timing of the announcement.

"At the end of the day, I want to make my own schedule, to be honest with you," Utley said. "But I feel like I can give back in a number of different areas."

'An Experience I'll Never Forget': Chase Utley Opens Up Prior To Final Series Against Phillies

Entering the game Monday night, the Phillies were 55-43, in first place in the National League East by a game over the Atlanta Braves, while the Dodgers were 55-44 and 7-3 over their last 10 games, 1.5 games in first place in the NL West over the Arizona Diamondbacks.

The Dodgers could be back to the Park in October, if both teams make the playoffs. It's something that was on Utley's mind.

"It would be cool,' Utley said. "Anytime you're playing in October it's cool. Yeah, it would be a trip."

 

 

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