Diamondbacks Defeat Phillies: Another Upset in NLCS

Twenty-two years after the incredible upset over the Yankees in the 2001 World Series, the Diamondbacks completed another today, beating the over-favored Phillies 4-2 in the NLCS. A series full of twists and turns that took the path of the desert just at the moment in which Philadelphia seemed to have obtained the decisive break in game 5, then ready to move to the fort of Citizens Ball Park to close the games!

The balance of this Championship was already evident in RS, with the Phillies winning 4-3 with a 9 run differential (44-34) in 7 clutch games with a maximum of 3 points difference. The D-backs’ 86% steal rating, responsible for second place in MLB with 166, was the weapon preached by Lovullo to flush out the formidable rival sluggers, who were below average in assists on basestealers.

Analyzing the statistics we can say that this factor actually had an impact on the last part of this series: if up until the fifth match the “snakes” had only stolen one, the aggressiveness of games 6 and 7 (8 steals) will in fact be decisive to win it.

With two aces of the caliber of Wheeler and Gallen, game 1 can only end in the balance like the others. Philadelphia, however, will only prevail 5-3, but will essentially dominate the match by doubling the valid opponents, and the renowned D-backs starter will never have a chance, conceding 8 of the 9 total for all 5 points on the scoreboard.

The home runs by Schwarber, Harper and Castellanos anticipate the singles by the former MVP and Realmuto, before Lovullo’s bullpen closes the door. It is here that Perdomo’s home run from Wheeler in the top of the sixth, which brings home Longoria, and Thomas’ sacrifice fly in the seventh with Dominguez on the mound, reopen the game. Alvarado and Kimbrel, however, controlled the result without worries, giving Rob Thomson the 1-0.

In the second episode there will certainly never be a story, given Nola’s prodigious performance, which will improve the previous day’s score of his most illustrious colleague: 6 IP, 3 H, 7 K, 82 throws, 17 eliminated and above all zero points conceded! Kelly’s game was also decent, as he resisted on the hill for 85 pitches, collecting the only hits in the first, third and sixth bases on single homers by Turner and Schwarber, before being replaced in the middle of the sixth frame and seeing Mantiply from the dougout and Nelson sink in the next two.

The doubles by Realmuto and Bohm bring home Stott, Turner, Harper and Schwarber, while the single by the same catcher and the sacrifice fly by Castellanos set the evening at a humiliating 10-0!

Game 2 will be remembered for the numerous home run records that Philadelphia broke in the history of the postseason: longest home run streak (13), record with 15 in 4 consecutive playoff games, greatest differential (+15), seventh place again for Schwarber (18) and a tie in the fourth individual multihomer match with the Angels (2002) and the same Phillies in 2009!

At this point, however, the resilience that has brought the D-backs this far turns the series on its head, with two almost photocopy matches in Chase Field. First of all, game 3, won at the count 2-1 thanks to Marte’s walk-off single with the bases loaded with Kimbrel on the mound, which will take him to third place ever for consecutive hits (12) on his PO debut.

A match in which the hosts will leave 6 men on base and will triple their valid rivals, but which they will however only unlock in the seventh set with a double from Gurriel, who will send home the very fast Thomas, precisely Pham’s pinch runner. Previously Phila had taken the lead on Thompson’s wild pitch after Harper’s walk, Bohm’s single and a double out which however will allow Harper himself to reach third. An immaculate evening at pitching for Suarez and especially Pfaadt, who equals Randy Johnson’s records with 6+ strikeouts in three playoff innings and comes close to scoring K (9) with no base balls for a rookie.

Game 4 instead ends 6-5, once again with a comeback and always with Kimbrel the loser, who was detrimental in this postseason like many other future hall of famers (Scherzer, Kershaw and Chapman above all), who perhaps arrived at the end of the race. Arizona broke the deadlock in the second and third with Rivera’s singles, before Schwarber woke him up, surpassing Reggie Jackson among the lefties with the highest number of hrs to PO (19).

In fact, from the fifth inning onwards Marsh, Bohm and Turner’s sacrifice fly extended the result for the guests towards a comfortable 2-5. But then the Diamondbacks resurrected again from the seventh frame onwards, when Thompson’s bullpen game definitively collapsed into Soto, Kerkering, the former Red Sox and Alvarado, on Romero’s hit and previously in Thomas’ home run, still decisive as a successor.

It’s up to Wheeler to put things right in game 5 with a signature performance: 7 innings that come close to 100 pitches for just one run, the one on the home run by the usual Thomas at the start of the seventh. Previously, Stott, Harper and Schwarber had put Phila ahead 4-0 and the latter had become the second player in franchise history to beat 5 Hr in a single playoff series. Realmuto then definitively extends the lead by sending Frias’ cutter into the stands for the 6-1 Phillies, a result which however does not fully reflect yet another balance on the field. Not good once again Gallen.

When Nola appears on the mound in game 6, leading 3-2 and with the prospect of two possible games in the fiery home stadium to close the series, all of Philadelphia is already ready for the party. Arizona, however, hammered the strong starter right from the start with 3 runs scored by Pham, Gurriel (two out of play) and Longoria’s double that brought Thomas to a point.

Partial which increases in the top of the fifth – after Marsh had closed the distance – thanks to Marte’s triple and always ends with Marte hitting a single against Kerkering. Surprisingly, Kelly emerges unscathed from the challenge, flawless for 5 frames of 90 throws and 8 Ks.

The Diamondbacks definitively conquered Philadelphia in the winner take all of game 7, winning for the umpteenth time in clutch fashion, but once again dominating the statistics on hits and steals, demonstrating unprecedented aggression and inner strength for young superstars such as Carroll and Moreno, decisive from the beginning of the fifth inning with the Phillies ahead 2 to 1 (Carroll’s run, Bohm out and Stott double) with two singles and a sacrifice fly that are worth the final 4/2.

The entrances on the mound of Ginkel and Sewald were also decisive as they eliminated the last 8 batters without problems, while Wheeler’s desperate move at the end of the top of the seventh was no longer of any use.

An unprecedented Fall Classic between Arizona and Texas for the happiness of us lovers of underdog baseball: a series without favorites that will celebrate, no matter what, two teams absolutely out of the Vegas odds at the beginning of the year, and therefore winners regardless.

The Phillies, on the other hand, will regret for life the end of a season that saw them, by all accounts, now on the throne of the world, but then inexorably missed in those close situations that were their daily bread. An opportunity that may never come again!

“Sick” of stars and stripes sports since the 80s! Struck by the Bills of Thurman Thomas and Jim Kelly, by Run TMC and Kevin Johnson, by Fernando Valenzuela’s throws and by the “Finnish lightning”. Fan of Yankees, Packers, Ravens, Spurs and Canadian hockey tradition.

2023-10-26 07:10:01
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