After seeing the Rangers win the first two games of the Championship Series in the American, it was the turn of the Diamondbacks and the Phillies to take the stage this evening for the first game of their series.
We know: Philadelphia is a pretty unique place when it comes to the atmosphere during the playoffs. The house advantage is quite considerable and can be intimidating for the opposing team.
And clearly, at the start of the game, the Diamondbacks understood it. From the first pitch of the game, Kyle Schwarber catapulted Zac Gallen’s offering into the stands.
No need to tell you that the stadium was overexcited.
And clearly, poor Gallen started feeling the pressure pretty quickly. After seeing Schwarber get the ball rolling, it was Bryce Harper who came up to bat.
And Harper, who was celebrating his 31st birthday, imitated Schwarber to double his team’s lead.
And clearly, the Phillies were hungry tonight. Poor Gallen once again bore the brunt of the Phillies’ attack, while Nick Castellanos joined the party in the second inning.
Clearly, he’s still just as hot as he was during the series against the Braves.
In the third round, a Harper hit allowed Trea Turner to cross the plateand in the fifth inning, it was JT Realmuto’s turn to join the party.
Need I tell you that it was none other than Bryce Harper who scored on the sequence?
Gallen, who is the Diamondbacks’ best starter, didn’t exactly get off to a great start (five earned runs in five innings), but he was still able to eat up a few innings to not overwork the bullpen early in the game. series.
One of the few positive notes we can take from his departure, in fact.
On the other hand, those who followed the season DBacks know that the club never gives up. THE Answerbacks weren’t going to die so easily, and the club showed its teeth in the sixth inning.
A two-run homer by Geraldo Perdomo put Arizona on the board.
And true to form, the Diamondbacks continued to work hard to get back on track. In the seventh inning, a sacrifice fly from Alek Thomas allowed Christian Walker to score.
Suddenly, the gap was only two points.
In the ninth inning, Craig Kimbrel came into the game for the Phillies. We felt him quite shaken on the mound, so much so that Lourdes Gurriel Jr. found himself in a position to do damage with a takedown and a player on the trail.
On the other hand, Alec Bohm had other plans: he made a superb defensive play to catch a powerful and capricious grounder, then he started a double play to end the match.
It was solid.
The Phillies therefore won the first game of this “four of seven”. The two clubs will face off again tomorrow night, as the Phillies attempt to double their series lead.
For the occasion, Merrill Kelly (DBacks) and Aaron Nola (Phillies) will be the starting gunners on the mound.
