WATCH: There was NO SHOT that Bryce Harper wasn’t going to score on Nick Castellanos’ double in the 8th last night

Drew Smith
October 4, 2023
Phillies
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The Philadelphia Phillies entered the bottom of the eighth inning with a 3-1 lead against the Miami Marlins in Game 1 of the National League Wild Card Series at Citizens Bank Park.

Zack Wheeler was done for the night. He dazzled through 6.2 innings of work, striking out eight, walking zero, and allowing just five hits.

From the right side of the plate, Trea Turner, Alec Bohm, Nick Castellanos, and Johan Rojas were a combined 6-for-15 with 4 doubles. Bohm, Stott, Cristian Pache and Nick Castellanos all notched RBIs.

Read Full Game Recap Here >>

Nick Castellanos stepped up to the plate in the bottom of the eighth inning and roped his second double of the night on a sharp line drive to left field that scored Bryce Harper.

Harper, who went 1-4 on the night, was on first base and stormed around the base paths. As it normally happens, Harp’s helmet came flying off as he rounded second and Phillies’ third base coach Dusty Wathan threw up the stop sign to hold him at third.

Bryce was having none of it and blew right through it, scoring a much needed insurance run to help secure a 4-1 Phillies win.

Nick Castellanos: 2-4, RBI, 2 2B

That’s going to be another fine for Bryce Harper.

Running a stop sign can cost a pretty penny. pic.twitter.com/nWJMEsZ4jl
— Ryan Conway (@ryanconway76) October 4, 2023

There was no way that Bryce Harper wasn’t going to attempt to score on that hit. Put this screenshot in the Philadelphia Museum of Art.

Bryce Harper Postgame on Scoring from First Base

“Once I got halfway to third, I didn’t really pick Dusty up, so that was my fault on that,” Harper said following the game. “Usually when I see him, I’m usually like, ‘OK, I’ve got to stop.’ Nine times out of 10, I’m going to stop in that situation, because Dusty does a great job over there. It worked out that time, got us to 4-1 and a good moment going into the ninth inning.” via MLB.com

Statcast 3D tracking: Bryce Harper scores from 1st to give the Phillies an insurance run

Sprint speed: 28.0 ft/sec (MLB avg = 27)
1st-to-home: 10.34 seconds

Not captured: Helmet flying off pic.twitter.com/TmP19O7pqD
— David Adler (@_dadler) October 4, 2023

ONE DOWN, 12 TO GO…

Listen, I can’t stress this enough. The Miami Marlins are who we thought they were.

The Phillies handled business in Game 1 and tonight, Aaron Nola will take the mound tonight looking to clinch the Wild Card Series against the Fish and send the Phillies on a collision course with the Atlanta Braves in the NLDS.

Opposing Nola, will be left-handed pitcher Braxton Garrett, who posted a 2-0 record but holds a 5.40 ERA with 8 strikeouts in just 10 innings of work against the Phillies this season.