Sunday, October 22, 2023

NLCS Game 4 - Nightmare in the Desert Continues


Diamondbacks 6
, Phillies 5
NLCS Game 4 - Friday Night, October 20th in Phoenix
Series tied, 2-2

One Sentence Summary:  Holding a 5-2 lead and needing seven outs for a Game 4 victory, the bullpen duo of Orion Kerkering and Craig Kimbrel stumbled again and the Diamondbacks stunned the Phillies, winning 6-5.

What It Means:  Just brutal.  Doug and I watched this game from our hotel room in Providence, Rhode Island.

What Happened/Featured Card:  Cristopher Sanchez started for the Phillies and allowed two runs (one earned) over 2 1/3 innings before yielding to the bullpen.  The Phillies clawed back with a solo home run from Kyle Schwarber in the fourth and an RBI-double from Brandon Marsh in the fifth, tying the score at 2-2.  They took a 4-2 lead in the sixth when Alec Bohm's infield single to third base plated a pair of runners, aided by a throwing error by Diamondbacks' third baseman Emmanuel Rivera.  An insurance run was added in the seventh when Trea Turner's sacrifice fly scored Johan Rojas, who had tripled to reach.

And then everything started to fall apart.  With two outs and runners on first and second, Kerkering entered the game and allowed two straight walks, making it 5-3 Phillies.  In the eighth, Kimbrel gave up a lead-off double to Lourdes Gurriel, Jr. and then a two-run home run to Alex Thomas, tying the score.  He'd give up another single and drill Corbin Carroll to put runners on first and second before departing.  Jose Alvarado entered, gave up an RBI-single to Gabriel Moreno, and the Diamondbacks had a 6-5 lead.  In the bottom of the ninth, Kyle Schwarber laced a two-out double, but Paul Sewald would strike out Trea Turner to end the game and allowing the Diamondbacks to tie the series.

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