With the National League Championship Series stage coming to Philadelphia for Game 1 on Monday night, the stars came out against the Arizona Diamondbacks’ ace. Kyle Schwarber, Bryce Harper and Nick Castellanos headlined the show, their power bats leading the way to a crucial opening victory.
The offense came alive in South Philly as the Phillies packed a punch against NL All-Star starter Zac Gallen. The team launched three home runs off the right-hander to hand Arizona its first loss of the postseason, 5-3, at Citizens Bank Park.
Schwarber — who did all his damage last playoff run in the NLCS and World Series — got it all started as he blasted Gallen’s first pitch of the game off the auxiliary scoreboard in right field to lead off the bottom of the first for his first home run of this postseason.
Two batters later, Harper — on his 31st birthday — followed suit as he delivered a solo shot himself to extend the lead to 2-0 after one inning of play.
Castellanos continued his red-hot streak of excellence at the plate in the second, shooting an opposite-field homer to right. That gave him his fifth home run in his last three playoff games.
The Phillies added one more in each of the fourth and fifth innings on RBI singles by Harper and J.T. Realmuto, handing starter Zack Wheeler a 5-0 lead.
Wheeler was his usual dominant self until he allowed a sixth-inning homer to Geraldo Perdomo made it 5-2. Still, he turned in another great playoff performance as he allowed just three hits and struck out eight over three innings.
Shortly after botching a routine double-play ball, Seranthony Domínguez allowed a run on a sacrifice fly in the seventh as the D-backs cut the deficit to 5-3. But José Alvarado entered to clean up the inning and threw a scoreless eighth as well.
Closer Craig Kimbrel took the ball in the ninth for Philadelphia, inducing a double play to end the game and earn the save, keeping the Phillies undefeated at home this playoff run.
Ticket IQ Next Game
- NLCS Game 2 on Tuesday, October 17 vs. Arizona Diamondbacks at Citizens Bank Park
- 8:07 p.m. Eastern
- TV: TBS
- Radio: SportsRadio 94 WIP
- Spanish Radio: WTTM 1680
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