Tuesday, October 10, 2023

NLDS Game 2 - Phils Fall Painfully to Braves


Braves 5
, Phillies 4
NLDS Game 2 - Monday Night, October 9th in Atlanta
Series tied, 1-1

One Sentence Summary:  The Phillies faltered late, allowing the Braves to score five unanswered runs, including a back-breaking two-run home run by Austin Riley in the eighth inning.

What It Means:  The series is tied at 1-1 and both teams traveled to Philadelphia for Games 3 and 4.  Aaron Nola takes the mound for the Phillies in Game 3 on Wednesday night, in one of the biggest starts of his Phillies career.

What Happened:  The Phillies scored early, but left too many runners on base and missed too many chances to score more.  In the first, Trea Turner doubled and scored on Alec Bohm's single to center.  The Phillies would leave the bases loaded when Bryson Stott grounded out to end the inning.  In the third, J.T. Realmuto connected for a two-run home run to give the Phillies a 3-0 lead.  In the fifth, Nick Castellanos singled, stole second and went to third on a throwing error by Braves' catcher Travis d'Arnaud.  Stott would bring him home with a sacrifice fly and the Phillies were up, 4-0.

Phillies' starter Zack Wheeler was dominant through five innings, not allowing a hit until there were two outs in the bottom of the sixth.  Ronald Acuna, Jr. walked with two outs and went to third on a single by Ozzie Albies.  Turner booted the relay throw from the outfield, allowing Acuna to score an unearned run.  In the seventh, d'Arnuad launched a two-run home run to left, ending Wheeler's night, and leaving the Phillies with a small 4-3 lead.  Wheeler had just set a Phillies postseason single game record with his 10th strikeout of the game.  In the eighth, Jeff Hoffman entered with one out, plunked Acuna on the elbow and then allowed the eventual game-winning, two-run home run to Riley.

Featured Card:  Trailing by a run in the top of the ninth, Bryce Harper walked to lead off the inning.  With one out, Nick Castellanos just missed a home run or at least an extra-base hit, when Michael Harris II lept and caught his fly ball against the center field fence.  Harper, who had crossed over second base, was doubled off at first to end the game.  As of this writing, I'm still in a bad mood.

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