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Phillies Red October Memories: DBacks Can’t Handle The Crowd?

After the Philadelphia Phillies broke a long playoff drought with a wild card berth in the MLB Playoffs in 2022, the city suddenly remembered the euphoria of Red October at…

Evan Longoria #3, Gabriel Moreno #14 and Ryne Nelson #19 of the Arizona Diamondbacks react to a ball that drops in for a hit in the seventh inning while playing the Philadelphia Phillies during Game Two of the Championship Series at Citizens Bank Park on October 17, 2023 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Photo by Elsa/Getty Images

After the Philadelphia Phillies broke a long playoff drought with a wild card berth in the MLB Playoffs in 2022, the city suddenly remembered the euphoria of Red October at Citizens Bank Park.

The Golden Era of Phillies baseball took a sharp turn after a disappointing playoff exit in 2011, but the expectation of an annual playoff appearance is back.

The rally towels at Citizens Bank Park in Red October create some of the best memories in the history of Philadelphia sports.

October 16-17, 2023
National League Championship Series Games 1-2 at Citizens Bank Park
Phillies 5, Arizona Diamondbacks 3; Phillies 10, Arizona Diamondbacks 0

Phillies Heavily Favored in NLCS

The Phillies had recaptured the magic of Red October and stumbled onto an easy path to the World Series. The inconsistent Arizona Diamondbacks might’ve knocked off the Los Angeles Dodgers, but they’re underwhelming 84-win season seemingly posed no match for the red hot Phillies.

Kyle Schwarber simply reassured everyone with a home run on the first pitch he saw in the bottom of the first inning in Game 1. The home team cruised to a win.

The Game 2 slaughter convinced everyone even further. Schwarber carried the load with help from Trea Turner, Nick Castellanos, and a lineup loaded with sluggers swinging hot bats at the best time.

Red October Crowd Burns Diamondbacks

The most appropriate microcosm of what looked like a sure thing occurred in the seventh inning of Game 2.

The Phillies had an 8-0 lead, but Arizona still couldn’t stop the onslaught. Bryson Stott hit a weak pop up between third base and the pitcher's mound, but the Red October crowd provided the home field advantage.

Baseball players aren’t used to a football-style crowd. The Diamondbacks couldn’t communicate with a decibel level heard throughout South Philadelphia, as the lazy pop-up landed to help the Phillies cruise to a 10-0 laugher.

However, like in 2022 when the Phillies slugged their way to a Game 3 victory in the World Series, the Red October crowd didn’t realize that’s as good as it would get.


Colin Newby is a contributor for 97.5 The Fanatic who transitions Beasley Media's radio content onto digital platforms. His work includes on-site coverage of the Philadelphia Flyers and Philadelphia Phillies.