SAN DIEGO - Chase Utley doubled only seven times over his first 254 plate appearances of this struggle-filled season.
He smacked three two-baggers in his last five plate appearances of the Phillies' weekend sweep of the Padres, the veteran second baseman's first series back from the disabled list.
Utley, a potential trade chip for the Phillies on this month's waiver trade market, had four hits in 10 at-bats in his first series since June. Throughout the weekend he flashed more bat speed than he displayed for much of April, May and June, when he hit a dismal .