After defeating the Atlanta Braves 3-to-1 in the NLDS, the Philadelphia Phillies were coming in hot to the NLCS. Their opponent, the Arizona Diamondbacks, were also very hot, sweeping the Milwaukee Brewers in the Wild Card round and sweeping the LA Dodgers in the NLDS. The Phillies were heavy favorites to win the NLCS, coming into the series with -185 odds.
The Phillies won the first two games of the series at home to take a 2-0 lead, and did so in convincing fashion, leading many Phillies fans to consider a 2023 World Series appearance just a matter of time. The Phillies lost a close game 3 in walk-off fashion, and blew a late 3-run lead in game 4. All of a sudden, the series was tied.
The Phillies won game 5 comfortably, and returned to CBP with two chances to win just one game at home. The D-Backs shocked the Phillies and the baseball world in both games 6 and 7 as they kept the Phillies offense at bay, who totalled just 3 runs in the two games combined. The D-Backs running game played a big factor in the critical games 6 and 7, stealing 8 bases in the two games.
In the last 5 games of the NLCS, the fire that was the Phillies offense was extinguished. Over the 5 games, Nick Castellanos was 0-for-18, Bryce Harper was 2-for-16, and Trea Turner was 2-for-19. Only three hitters in the lineup had a batting average above .300 over the 5-game span as Brandon Marsh, Kyle Schwarber, and Alec Bohm each hit .333.
The 2023 season for the Phillies may feel like a great let-down and disappointment after their expectations dramatically increased throughout the playoffs and they ultimately failed to build off of the run they made in 2022. The reality is, making it back to the National League Championship Series for the second consecutive year is an accomplishment worthy of recognition and pride.
NLCS Results:
10/16 (game 1) vs. Arizona Diamondbacks - W (5-3)
It was a battle of aces as Zack Wheeler took on Zac Gallen in game 1. Kyle Schwarber gave the home fans something to cheer about early hitting a first-pitch solo home run in the bottom of the 1st. Two batters later, Bryce Harper followed up with a solo shot of his own on his 31st birthday. Nick Castellanos joined the party with a solo shot to right in the bottom of the 2nd to take a 3-0 lead.
An RBI single by Harper in the bottom of the 3rd scored Trea Turner and extended the lead to 4-0. In the bottom of the 5th, JT Realmuto hit an RBI single to make it 5-0. Wheeler was dominating through 5 innings, but allowed a lead off hit in the 6th followed by a Geraldo Perdomo home run to make it 5-2. The D-Backs pushed one across in the top of the 7th off Seranthony Dominguez to bring the score to 5-3. Alvarado remained in the game to pitch the 8th and Kimbrel came on in the 9th and got the save following a sharp 5-4-3 double play started by Bohm to end the game.
Wheeler’s final line was still excellent after a shaky 6th inning, finishing with 6 innings pitched, 8 strikeouts, 0 walks, and 2 earned runs on 3 hits. The Phillies offense had 9 total hits, 5 of them extra base hits, and were led by big days from Bryce Harper (2 for 3 with a home run, walk, 2 RBI, and 2 runs) and Trea Turner (2 for 4 with a double and a run).
10/17 (game 2) vs. Arizona Diamondbacks - W (10-0)
Aaron Nola got the start against Merrill Kelly. In the second at-bat for the Phillies, Trea Turner hit a solo home run to deep left field to take a 1-0 lead. Kyle Schwarber hit a solo shot of his own in the bottom of the 3rd to make it 2-0. In the bottom of the 6th, Schwarber led off the inning with another solo homer, followed by a 2-run double by Realmuto and an RBI double by Marsh, giving the Phillies a 6-0 lead.
The Phillies continued to pile it on in the 7th, scoring 4 more runs on a 2-run double by Alec Bohm, a Realmuto single, and a Castellanos sacrifice fly. Aaron Nola was masterful on the mound, finishing with 6 innings pitched, 7 strikeouts, 0 walks, and 0 runs on 3 hits. Hoffman, Strahm, and Kerkering each threw a scoreless inning out of the bullpen to end the game.
The Phillies had 11 hits as a team, 6 of them being extra base hits. Schwarber was 2 for 3 with 2 homers, 3 runs, 2 RBI, and a walk, Realmuto was 2 for 4 with a double, 3 RBI, and a run, and Bryson Stott was 2 for 4 with 2 runs.
10/19 (game 3) @ Arizona Diamondbacks - L (1-2)
Ranger Suarez got the start against rookie Brandon Pfaadt in what turned out to be a low-scoring pitchers duel. Both starters didn’t allow a run and the first run of the game came in the top of the 7th when Bryce Harper got on base thanks to a leadoff walk. Harper would later score from third on a wild pitch to take a 1-0 lead. The D-Backs responded in the bottom of the 7th with Orion Kerkering on the mound.
A double by Lourdes Gurriell Jr. scored Alek Thomas from first base to tie the game at 1. Jose Alvarado came in to pitch and was able to get out of a jam and end the inning with the tie score intact. Craig Kimbrel came on to pitch in the bottom of the 9th to try to force the game into extra innings. After 2 walks and a single, Ketel Marte came up to bat with the bases loaded and hit a single to center field to end the game with a walk-off.
Ranger Suarez finished with 5.1 innings, 7 strikeouts, 1 walk, and 0 runs on 3 hits. The Phillies offense struggled for the first time in the ‘23 postseason, totalling just 3 hits as a team.
10/20 (game 4) @ Arizona Diamondbacks - L (5-6)
Christopher Sanchez took the mound against reliever Joe Mantiply who served as the opener in a bullpen game. The D-Backs struck first in the bottom of the 2nd scoring a run on an RBI single by Emmanuel Rivera. An RBI single by Gabriel Moreno extended the lead to 2-0 in the bottom of the 3rd. Kyle Schwarber hit a solo home run in the top of the 4th, and Brandon Marsh hit an RBI double in the top of the 5th to tie the game at 2. Alec Bohm hit a 2 run double in the top of the 6th, giving Philly a 4-2 lead.
A Trea Turner sac fly in the top of the 7th extended the Phillies’ lead to 5-2. A bases loaded walk by Kerkering in the bottom of the 7th made it 5-3. Kimbrel came on to pitch in the bottom of the 8th and Alek Thomas tied the game with a 2-run home run. Gabriel Moreno hit an RBI single to give Arizona a 6-5 lead heading into the 9th inning. The Phillies were unable to get anything going off of D-Backs’ closer Paul Sewald as they fell 6-5, and the series was evened up at 2-2.
Christopher Sanchez had a short leash and finished with 2.1 innings, 1 strikeout, 1 walk, and 2 runs (1 earned) on 2 hits. The Phillies had 8 hits as a team, led by Kyle Schwarber (2 for 3 with a home run, double, RBI, 2 walks, and 2 runs) and Alec Bohm (2 for 4 with an RBI).
10/21 (game 5) @ Arizona Diamondbacks - W (6-1)
Zack Wheeler took the mound against Zac Gallen in a pivotal game 5. In the top of the 1st, Bryson Stott hit an RBI single and Bryce Harper later scored by stealing home as the Phils took an early 2-0 lead. Wheeler was lights out from the start and Gallen settled in after the 1st inning as the score remained at 2-0 until the 6th inning.
In the top of the 6th, Schwarber hit a leadoff solo home run and two batters later, Harper followed with a solo shot of his own. Alek Thomas hit a solo home run in the bottom of the 7th to make it 4-1. In the top of the 8th, JT Realmuto hit a 2-run home run. Seranthony Dominguez and Matt Strahm combined to end the game with a scoreless inning in the bottom of the 9th.
Wheeler went 7 innings with 8 strikeouts, 1 walk, and 1 earned run on 6 hits. The Phillies had 9 hits as a team, led by Kyle Schwarber (2 for 4 with a home run, 2 runs, and an RBI), Bryce Harper (2 for 4 with a home run, RBI, and 3 runs), and Bryson Stott (2 for 4 with an RBI).
10/23 (game 6) vs. Arizona Diamondbacks - L (1-5)
Aaron Nola took the mound against Merrill Kelly with the series returning to CBP. The D-Backs put up 3 runs in the top of the 2nd on a Tommy Pham solo shot, Lourdes Gurriel solo shot, and an Evan Longoria double. Brandon Marsh hit an RBI single in the bottom of the 2nd to make the score 3-1.
In the top of the 5th, Ketel Marte hit an RBI triple to extend the lead to 4-1. Marte came up big again in the top of the 7th with an RBI single to make it 5-1. Kelly was taken out of the game after 5 innings as D-Backs’ manager Torey Lovullo went to his bullpen early, and they proved his decision to be a good one as the Phillies failed to score any runs after the 2nd inning.
Nola struggled early and settled in, but did not have his best stuff. He went 4.1 innings with 4 strikeouts, 2 walks, and 4 earned runs on 6 hits. The Phillies offense had 6 hits, led by Alec Bohm (2 for 4) and Brandon Marsh (2 for 4). JT Realmuto had the lone extra base hit with a double in the bottom of the 2nd.
10/24 (game 7) vs. Arizona Diamondbacks - L (2-4)
Ranger Suarez took the mound against Brandon Pfaadt in game 7 with the winner moving on to represent the National League in the 2023 World Series. The D-Backs’ scored a run in the top of the 1st on a Christian Walker force out that was hit too softly to turn a double play. Alec Bohm led off the bottom of the 2nd with a solo home run to left field to tie the game at 1.
Bohm walked in the bottom of the 4th with 1 out and Bryson Stott hit a double to left field that scored Bohm from first base, giving Philly a 2-1 lead. In the top of the 5th, Corbin Carroll hit a 2-out single to drive in Rivera from second. Carroll then stole second, and was driven in to score on a Gabriel Moreno single, giving the D-Backs a 3-2 lead. In the top of the 7th, Carroll hit a sacrifice fly to plate another run, extending the lead to 4-2.
The Phillies had runners on 1st and 2nd with 1-out and Turner and Harper due up, but pitcher Kevin Ginkel was able to get out of the jam unscathed. Ginkel struck out the side in the bottom of the 8th and Sewald came in to close things out in the bottom of the 9th and went 3-up, 3-down to end the game.
Suarez finished with 4.2 innings, 6 strikeouts, and 3 earned runs on 6 hits. Hoffman, Wheeler, and Strahm had effective outings out of the bullpen. The Phillies had just 5 hits as a team, and were unable to take advantage of the few scoring opportunities they had, going 1-for-10 with runners in scoring position.
*For more Phillies and MLB content, follow me on X @lkurtzy23
Comments
Post a Comment