Friday, October 7, 2022

NLWCS Game 1 - Phils Stun Cardinals with 9th Inning Comeback


Phillies 6
, Cardinals 3
NLWCS Game 1 - Friday Afternoon, October 7th in St. Louis
Phillies lead series, 1-0

One Sentence Summary:  In one of the more remarkable comebacks in postseason history, the Phillies plated six runs in the top of the ninth inning in St. Louis, stunning the Cardinals and taking Game One of this Wild Card Series by a score of 6-3.

What It Means:  Aaron Nola and the Phillies will try to clinch the series on Saturday night.  It was the first Phillies postseason win since Game 3 of the 2011 NLDS against the Cardinals, also in St. Louis.  Ben Francisco hit a pinch-hit three-run home run in that game to send the Phillies to a 3-2 win.

What Happened / Featured Card:  It was an uneventful first eight innings for the Phillies.  Zack Wheeler did his job, pitching 6 1/3 shutout innings and allowing just a pair of hits.  He yielded to Jose Alvarado in the seventh, with Alvarado walking Dylan Carlson and then giving up a two-run, pinch-hit home run to Juan Yepez.  The Cardinals held that 2-0 lead through 8 1/3 innings, with the Phillies managing only two hits up to that point.

With Cardinals' All-Star closer Ryan Helsely on the mound, and with one down, J.T. Realmuto singled, and then Bryce Harper and Nick Castellanos both walked to load the bases.  Alec Bohm was drilled on the shoulder with a Helsely pitch to bring home the first Phillies run of the postseason.  With Edmundo Sosa now pinch-running for Bohm, Jean Segura golfed a two-run singled past a diving second baseman to score two runs and give the Phillies an improbable 3-2 lead.  Sosa lengthened the lead, sliding under the tag at home after Bryson Stott grounded into a fielder's choice to first.  Brandon Marsh singled home Segura and Kyle Schwarber hit a sacrifice fly to score Stott and give the Phillies a 6-2 lead.  Zach Eflin, the newly appointed closer, allowed a Cardinals run in the bottom of the ninth before striking out Yadier Molina to end the game.

Hard to believe, Harry.

Transactions:  There were a few surprises as the Phillies finalized their Wild Card Series roster on Friday morning.  Sosa (inf) and Brad Hand (lhp) were activated from the injured list.  Nick Nelson (rhp), Darick Hall (1b), Dalton Guthrie (inf) and Michael Plassmeyer (lhp) were all reassigned to the minor leagues.


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