Phillies Bats Go Cold in Game 3, Drop First Game of The Series
PHOENIX, ARIZONA - OCTOBER 19: Bryce Harper #3 of the Philadelphia Phillies reacts after being left stranded on second base against the Arizona Diamondbacks during the ninth inning in Game Three of the National League Championship Series at Chase Field on October 19, 2023 in Phoenix, Arizona.
Going into game 3 all anyone was talking about was how bad a matchup it was between Brandon Pfaadt and the Phillies hitters. The guy had an ERA over 5 in the regular season and gave up HRs more often than almost any pitcher. What no one had on their bingo card was him hurling 5.2 scoreless innings. Nor did anyone think the Diamondbacks bullpen would continue to shut down the Phillies. But they did. The Phillies bats went ice cold in game 3, and they managed to score just 1 run on a wild pitch. And that opened the door for the D-backs to win their first game of the series by a final score of 2-1.
The Diamondbacks’ bats were not much better. They scored just 2 runs. But it was all they needed. They took a 1-1 tie into the bottom of the 9th, and then a Ketel Marte single with the bases loaded walked it off. Giving life to a team that seemed to have none after getting blown out 10-0 in game 2. The Bullpen gave up 2 runs, after giving up just 3 total during the playoffs coming into the game.
The Phillies bats came into the game hotter than any other lineup left standing. They had already hit 6 HRs in the series. But tonight they could only muster 3 hits. One came off the bat of Alec Bohm and didn’t even leave the infield grass. They went a combined 3 for 28, with 3 walks. And they only scored because Ryan Thompson threw a ball that felt like it was 10 feet outside of the strike zone. In fact that wild pitch probably went farther than Alec Bohm’s hit earlier in the inning.
The D Backs plan to have a bullpen game tomorrow, whereas the Phillies starter will be Cristopher Sanchez. Sanchez came out of nowhere this season to be one of the Phillies’ most reliable starters. He had a 3.44 ERA across 18 starts.
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The Phillies 26-Man Roster For the NLCS Vs The Diamondbacks
The Phillies are back in the NLCS. For the second straight year, they knocked the 100+ win Braves out of the playoffs in the NLDS. Everyone called them the greatest lineup in Baseball history. Didn’t seem so potent against the Phillies. They were held to just 7 runs across 4 games. With guys like Ronald Acuna and Matt Olson being quiet the entire series. And now, we can look forward to the NLCS and the Diamondbacks.
The Phillies get the next 3 days off. Which they may need after how much they partied after the win in game 4. And then on Monday, it begins. They need 4 more wins to get to the World Series, and 8 more to parade down Broad Street.
And there is good reason to be very confident in this team. As good as last year’s team was, this roster is even better. To start, they have Trea Turner who is putting up crazy numbers. Bryce Harper is still the best playoff hitter ever. And now you have Nick Castellanos playing out of his mind after he struggled in the playoffs last year. And maybe more important, is how great the pitching looks.
The Braves may be choke artists, but that was still a very good lineup. They were shut down by the Phillies pitchers though. Wheeler, Nola, and Suarez all pitched gems. And apart from game 2, the Bullpen shut the door on the Braves once the starters came out. The bullpen goes deep, far deeper than it did last year. The lineup is just as deep. This team is very good.
So before the NLCS, let’s get a reminder of just how good this 26-man roster is. And while we are at it, let’s see how all of them have played against the Diamondbacks so far this season.
Here is what their 26-man roster in the NLCS vs the Diamondbacks will look like:
Tyrone Johnson is the host of “The Best Show Ever” on 97.5 The Fanatic. He has been with the station for the past 8 years. Before working at the Fanatic, Tyrone produced political radio, did financial reports, and was assistant chief engineer of another radio station. As a content creator for 97.5 The Fanatic, Tyrone writes articles on the Sixers, Eagles, Phillies, and Flyers.