Philadelphia, PA – After falling short in a late-inning rally against Zack Wheeler and the Philadelphia Phillies in Game 1, the Arizona Diamondbacks are determined to even the National League Championship Series in Game 2.
On the mound, Merrill Kelly (1-0, 0.00 ERA this postseason) will take the ball for the Diamondbacks, while the Phillies will rely on Aaron Nola (2-0, 1.42 ERA) in a right-handed pitching duel.
In the opening game of the series, the Phillies secured a 5-3 win, thanks in part to home runs by Kyle Schwarber and Bryce Harper, who celebrated his 31st birthday. Nick Castellanos also added a home run for the Phillies.
Zack Wheeler delivered an impressive performance, limiting the Diamondbacks to two runs on three hits over six innings. Arizona made a late charge, bringing the tying run to the plate in the final three innings, giving them hope for a series comeback similar to what the Atlanta Braves almost achieved in the NL Division Series.
The loss in Game 1 was the Diamondbacks’ first of the postseason. Arizona earned a playoff spot as the NL’s final wild card with an 84-78 regular season record and swept the Milwaukee Brewers in a best-of-three wild-card series before stunning the Los Angeles Dodgers in a best-of-five NLDS.
Determined to bounce back in Game 2, Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo expressed the need to review their performance, learn from it, and be prepared for another intense contest on Tuesday.
Wheeler’s no-hitter into the sixth inning in Game 2 of the NLDS ended with a Braves comeback. Still, the Phillies rebounded in the following games of the series, outscoring the Braves and advancing.
Philadelphia manager Rob Thomson acknowledged the importance of momentum in postseason baseball, emphasizing the need to gain and maintain momentum while preventing the opposition from making a comeback.
Merrill Kelly, who last pitched on October 7, when he secured the victory against the Dodgers in Game 1 of the NLDS, will take the mound for the Diamondbacks. Nola, fresh from a successful outing in Game 3 of the NLDS, will be the Phillies’ starting pitcher.
Kelly has a 1-1 record with a 2.75 ERA in three career starts against the Phillies. Nola holds a 2-2 record with a 7.67 ERA in five career starts against the Diamondbacks.
Game 2 promises another intense battle as both teams strive for a crucial victory in the National League Championship Series.
