Philadelphia, PA – In an electrifying start to the National League Championship Series, the Philadelphia Phillies secured a 5-3 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks in Game 1. Kyle Schwarber, known for his playoff heroics, set the tone with a first-pitch home run. Bryce Harper, celebrating his 31st birthday, followed suit with a homer one out later.
Game 2 of the best-of-seven series is set for Tuesday night in Philadelphia, with Aaron Nola scheduled to start for the reigning NL champion Phillies against Merrill Kelly.
Kyle Schwarber, who had entered the game with less impressive playoff statistics, ignited the Phillies’ crowd of 45,396 by launching Zac Gallen’s first pitch, a 92 mph fastball, a staggering 420 feet into the right field bleachers. This marked Schwarber’s fourth career playoff leadoff home run, setting a record.
Bryce Harper added to the spectacle, hitting his fourth home run of these playoffs and his 10th in the last two postseasons. Harper’s blast came on the first pitch he saw from Gallen, an achievement that placed him in a select group of players who have hit a playoff home run on their birthday.
Nick Castellanos continued his postseason hot streak with a home run in the third inning. The Phillies have now hit 12 home runs in their last three games, setting a record for the most home runs in a three-game span in playoff history. Harper and Castellanos have been responsible for eight of those homers.
The Phillies extended their lead to 5-0 on RBI singles by Harper and J.T. Realmuto in the third and fifth innings. However, the Diamondbacks began mounting a comeback against Zack Wheeler (2-0) and Seranthony Dominguez.
Geraldo Perdomo’s home run in the sixth inning and Alek Thomas’ sacrifice fly in the seventh brought the Diamondbacks within striking distance. They threatened again in the eighth and ninth innings but fell short of tying the game.
Zack Wheeler delivered a strong performance, allowing two runs on three hits and no walks while striking out eight over six innings. Wheeler’s postseason WHIP of 0.70 is the lowest over any nine-start span for any pitcher in postseason history.
Zac Gallen (2-1) had a challenging outing, conceding five runs on eight hits and two walks while striking out four over five innings.
Despite their efforts, the Diamondbacks found themselves unable to overcome the early deficit, with the Phillies securing Game 1 of the series.
Game 2 will offer another thrilling showdown, as both teams look to gain the upper hand in their quest for the National League championship.
