125413_dodgers_rockies_baseballStreet surrenders winning run in ninth

DENVER — Huston Street was already struggling in the frigid conditions. A missed call by plate umpire Jerry Meals in the ninth inning really put him in a bind.

Following the game, Meals acknowledged that, after watching a replay, Chase Utley’s accidental swing hit the Philadelphia second baseman first before rolling into fair territory. It should’ve been a foul ball.

“The ball came up and grazed off his leg and continued rolling up the line,” Meals said.

Instead, the blown call led to a run, and Philadelphia took a 2-1 lead in the NL division series with a 6-5 victory over Colorado on Sunday night.

The usually dependable Street struggled to start the ninth, allowing a leadoff single to Jimmy Rollins, who advanced to second on Shane Victorino’s sacrifice.

Then Utley tried to check his swing, only to dribble the ball up the first-base line. Street thought for sure it grazed Utley, but played the ball anyway.

“I saw it hit him. I hesitated,” Street said. “But Chase took off and then I thought in my mind it’s a free out. It turned out to be a tougher play … but I still made the play.”

Street fielded it on the run and tried to lob the ball over Utley’s head to Todd Helton at first.

The ball appeared to beat Utley to the bag — and Helton looked to have kept his foot on the bag — but first base umpire Ron Kulpa ruled Utley safe. Rockies manager Jim Tracy briefly argued before retreating back to the dugout.

“The response I got was he came off the base and he was safe anyway,” Tracy said.

Street doesn’t buy that argument.

“I would say it’s largely conclusive, in my opinion. Didn’t matter — the ball should’ve been a foul ball,” Street said.

Rollins took third on the play and then broke the tie game as he tagged up on Ryan Howard’s sacrifice fly to deep center.

And while instant replay could’ve prevented that, Street remains vehemently against it.

“I don’t wish there was instant replay in baseball,” Street said. “It would take away the purity of the game. Tonight it went against me. Umpires do the best they can do. They are human beings.”

Meals said he never heard or saw the ball hit Utley.

“Chase Utley took off like it was nothing,” Meals said. “He gave no indication to us that it hit him. Whatever percent of the time, you’re going to get a guy that’s going to stop if it hits him.”

Not this time.

“The ball might have caught me,” Utley said. “Nobody said anything so I ran hard.”

Street is in his first season with the Rockies after being acquired, along with outfielder Carlos Gonzalez, in an offseason deal that sent Matt Holliday to Oakland.

Street converted 35 of 37 save chances, but missed most of the final month because of soreness in his biceps tendon.

Street said earlier this week the arm wasn’t bothering him.

As for Meals saying the call was missed, Street was appreciative — as much as he could be.

“You appreciate that as players,” Street said. “You appreciate the fact that they’re willing to admit to that. You recognize it’s a tough job.”