The Phillies pitching staff was battered for 13 hits and 3 home runs as the Padres scored 8 unanswered runs to take NLCS Game 2, 8-5.

Padres Beat Phillies; NLCS TIED 1-1

• Winning Pitcher: Blake Snell (2-0, 4.61)
• Losing Pitcher: Aaron Nola (2-1, 3.12)
• Save: Josh Hader (4, 0.00)

How about we just spare ourselves the needless overreaction to the Phillies ugly loss in Game 2?

The Phillies splitting the first two games on the road in San Diego should be seen as a victory. With the next 3 games in Philadelphia, they still have a chance to clinch the series in front of the ridiculous home crowd at CBP. And if they only take two of three for some reason, they will headed to San Diego with two chances to clinch the pennant.

Aaron Nola appeared mortal on the mound for the first time in over a month, allowing six earned runs on just seven total hits. The home run ball hurt Nola in the 2nd inning as he gave up back-to-back solo shots to Brandon Drury and Josh Bell that not only put the Padres on the scoreboard but completely shifted the momentum the Phillies had gained by scoring 4 runs in their half of the 2nd inning. 

Nola recovered only to fall apart in the 5th inning, giving up an RBI single to his brother Austin and ending up on the hook for 4 total earned runs in the inning. Nola could only watch as the 45+ minute bottom of the 5th inning devolved into a Padres 7-4 lead. 

That’s certainly not the recipe for success for this ball club. The starting rotation exposed the depth of the bullpen and the Padres capitalized on poor pitching from Brad Hand, Andrew Bellatti, and David Robertson. 

Here’s the list of the guys I trust in the Phillies bullpen:

1. José Alvarado
2. Seranthony Dominguez

Sorry Zach Eflin, I can’t jump on board the Led-Zeffelin quite yet. Anyone else is a liability and if the Phillies are unable to avoid using them they will lose this series.

Luckily, I think the Padres stink. Yes, they were able to comeback from a disastrous 2nd inning today and win Game 2, but beating the Phillies in Philadelphia is going to be a completely different animal. I am honestly going to be surprised if they win a single game in the next three.

That’s the kind of winning atmosphere we have going in Philadelphia right now. It’s a train of destiny that cannot be stopped. We already killed the SD Chicken Mural, whatever the hell that is and I am fairly certain by Game 5 there will be a handful of SD visiting fans crying about how they are so rudely treated in Philly.

Up Next for the Phillies

The Phillies come back home to Philadelphia to take on the Padres in Game 3 of the NLCS at Citizens Bank Park with the first pitch scheduled for 7:37 PM EST.

FS1 will carry the broadcast of the game.

Ranger Suárez (0-0, 2.70) will take the mound facing off against Joe Musgrove (1-0, 1.38)

Aaron Nola strikes out Jake Croneworth to end the Padres half of the opening frame.

Bryce Harper fights off a tough Blake Snell pitch and drops it into the outfield just over the head of Kim at shortstop.

Nick Castellanos drops a bloop single in front of Juan Soto to put. two men on base with nobody out in the 2nd inning.

Alec Bohm delivers with the Phils third straight single to open up the scoring in Game 2.

1-0 Phils

Juan Soto cant find the ball in the San Diego afternoon sun, allowing a Matt Vierling fly ball to drop and another run to score.

2-0 Phils

Edmundo Sosa breaks his bat and drives in another run with a bloop single off Blake Snell.

3-0 Phils

Kyle Schwarber grounds to first base but its enough to drive in another run for the Phils, their fourth in the 2nd inning.

4-0 Phils

Drury responds to the Phils big 2nd inning with a solo shot just over the left field wall on the 2nd pitch of the at-bat.

4-1 Phils

Josh Bell takes Nola deep for back-to-back home runs in the 2nd inning.

4-2 Phils

Aaron Nola gets his brother Austin to ground out in their first matchup in the NLCS.

Aaron Nolas gets Manny Machado swinging to end the 3rd inning.

Austin Nola gets to his younger brother in round 2 and gets the Padres within one run in the 5th inning.

4-3 Phils

Juan Soto ties the game up with an RBI double in the 5th inning.

4-4 Phils

Brad Hand loaded the base with a HBP and then gives up a 3-2 hit to Brandon Drury to give the Padres their first lead of the game.

6-4 Padres

Brad Hands gives up another 2-out single to Josh Bell in the Padres 5-run 5th inning.

7-4 Padres

Manny Machado leads of the 7th inning with a solo home run off David Robertson.

8-4 Padres

Rhys Hoskins hits a solo home run in the 8th inning to cut the Padres lead to 3 runs.

8-5 Padres

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Mandatory Photo Credit: Philadelphia Phillies