Mets starting pitcher Noah Syndergaard was ejected from Saturday’s game against the Dodgers for throwing behind second baseman Chase Utley in the third inning.

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Mets starting pitcher Noah Syndergaard was ejected from Saturday’s game against the Dodgers for throwing behind second baseman Chase Utley in the third inning.

Syndergaard threw a fastball at 99 mph to start the inning that missed Utley’s back by about a foot and led to his immediate ejection. Manager Terry Collins then came out to argue, and was thrown out as well.

The tension between the Mets and Utley dates back to last postseason, when Utley broke shortstop Ruben Tejada’s leg on a late slide into second base in Game 2 of the National League Division Series.

This is the sixth game the Mets and Dodgers have played this season; they played a four-game set in Los Angeles, and one game in New York on Friday. The Mets didn’t seek retaliation for the slide in the three games to follow the slide, either.

Later, in the sixth, Utley went yard off Logan Verrett to give the Dodgers a 1–0 lead.

And, in the seventh, he hit a grand slam.

– Kenny Ducey