Phillies NLCS Game 2 Kyle Schwarber

Phillies demolish the D-Backs 10-0, head to Arizona with 2-0 series lead

The Philadelphia Phillies absolutely destroyed the Diamondbacks last night, winning Game 2 of the NLCS 10-0 to take a 2-0 series lead to Arizona. 

Last night’s win was wire-to-wire. Trea Turner got the Phillies on the board in the bottom of the first inning, hitting a solo home run to left center field to give the Phillies a 1-0 lead. 

Trea Turner Solo Home Run

Aaron Nola Masterclass

On the mound, Aaron Nola was dominant yet again, tossing six stellar innings, allowing just three hits and no earned runs or walk while striking out seven. 

Nola improved to 3-0 this postseason with a 0.96 ERA. He has only allowed two runs in 18.2 innings, striking out 19 while walking only two. According to MLB.com, only two other pitchers in MLB history have matched or exceeded those numbers in a three-game span during a single postseason. Atlanta Braves’ John Smoltz (1991) and the Texas Rangers’ Cliff Lee (2010). 

Needless to say, last night was a big one for Nola, who cruised through the first two rounds of the postseason last year before running into some “trouble” in the NLCS and World Series. Nola posted a 2-0 record with a 0.00 ERA in his first two starts of the 2022 playoffs before going 0-2 with a 9.69 ERA over his final three outings. 

After a rough 2023 regular season campaign for Nola, where he posted a 12-9 record with a 4.46 ERA, it looks like the Phillies second ace has finally returned to form, which will almost undoubtedly make him one of the most sought after pitchers in free agency when this year is all said and done. 

Kyle Schwarber – For All Things Holy

Schwarber was the latest Philadelphia Phillies player to have a multi-home run game in the postseason this year. He delivered his first blow in the bottom of the third inning, giving the Phillies a 2-0 run lead on a solo shot to right centerfield.

Schwarber struck again in the bottom of the sixth inning to give the Phillies a 3-0 lead. 

Kyle Schwarber Home Run No. 2

Doubles, Doubles, Doubles 

From there, the flood gates opened. The Phillies started hitting the baseball all over the ballpark, highlighted by a 2 RBI double from JT Realmuto and an RBI double from Brandon Marsh, both in the bottom of the sixth. 

Alec Bohm then hit a 2 RBI double to score Schwarber and Harper in the bottom of the seventh. Just like that, the Phillies jumped out to an 8-0 lead over the D-Backs and continued to pour it on the opposing bullpen. 

Realmuto added another run in the seventh on an RBI single that scored Bohm and Nick Castellanos topped things off with a sac fly to give the Phillies a 10-0 Game 2 win and a 2-0 series lead with Game 3 in Arizona tomorrow night. 

Phillies NLCS Notes: 

Teams that take a 2-0 lead in a best-of-seven series have won 75 of 89 times (84 percent). 

The Philadelphia Phillies are 6-0 at home this postseason. 

The Phillies are 28-11 at Citizens Bank Park since the ballpark opened in 2004. 

The Phillies have smashed 14 home runs in their last 4 games, the most by any team in a 4-game span in postseason history. 

Ranger Suarez vs Brandon Pfaadt

NLCS Game 3 will start at 5 PM EST. The D-Backs will send Brandon Pfaadt to the mound, opposing Ranger Suarez. The D-Backs rookie was the mound in Game 1 of the NL Wild Series against the Brewers and coughed up three runs on seven hits in just 2.2 innings of work. Pfaadt carried a 5.72 ERA in the regular season, with opponents hitting .282 with a .862 OPS. 

In the NLDS, Pfaadt did pitch better, throwing 4.1 scoreless innings against a Dodgers team that looked completely lost on at the plate. After the D-Backs go with Pfaadt, they are basically looking at a bullpen game for Game 4 against what’s likely to be a combination of Walker, Sanchez, and the bullpen for the Phillies. 

Full Breakdown of the NLCS Pitching Matchups Here >>

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