Utley’s Streak at 34 but It’s Not So Easy

ST. LOUIS —  Chase Utley’s legs, along with a reconsidered official scoring call, helped him extend his hitting streak to 34 games.

Utley kept the longest streak in the major leagues this year alive when the scorer changed his call on an eighth-inning grounder, then added a single in the ninth to help the Philadelphia Phillies rout the St. Louis Cardinals, 16-8, on Wednesday.

Utley was 0 for 4 when, with the Phillies leading, 11-7, he hit a bouncer to the third-base side of the pitcher’s mound. Reliever Randy Flores, a left-hander, grabbed the ball with his glove hand as his momentum carried him toward third. He hesitated to check Shane Victorino, the runner off third, and then turned and threw wide and late to first.

Official scorer Mike Smith initially ruled it a fielder’s choice but after watching replays Smith changed his call to a hit. Smith cited section 10.06 of the Official Baseball Rules, which states that a hit should be scored when a fielder looks or feints at a base before throwing late.

Jimmy Rollins homered twice, including his 16th career leadoff homer, and scored a career-high five runs and had four runs batted in for the Phillies. David Delluci was three for four with a home run and four RBIs.

St. Louis lost its sixth in a row.