The Major League Baseball (MLB) Philadelphia Phillies are one win away from advancing to the World Series for the second straight year.
The Phillies won 6-1 in Game 5 of the best-of-seven 2023 MLB National League Championship Series (NLCS) against the Arizona Diamondbacks on Sunday at Chase Field in Phoenix, Arizona, USA.
After winning Games 1 and 2, the Phillies dropped Games 3 and 4 and let the momentum slip away. Game 5 starter Zack Wheeler pitched seven innings of one-run ball, and the offense came alive, with Kyle Schwarber, Bryce Harper, and J.T. Realmuto all hitting home runs.
The Phillies fell just short of the top spot in last season’s (2022) World Series, losing to the Houston Astros four games to two. They are one win away from repeating as World Series champions.
Arizona, which is trying to reach the World Series for the first time in 22 years since 2001, evened the series at two games apiece by shutting down Philadelphia closer Craig Kimbrel in consecutive Games 3 and 4, only to fall short in Game 5.
The Phillies opened the scoring in the top of the first inning when Bryson Stott singled to score Schwarber and Harper off Arizona starter Zach Gallon. The Phillies added an insurance run on Realmuto’s next at-bat on a 1-3 pitch, allowing Harper to score from third.
Wheeler got Christian Walker and Pavin Smith out of a bases-loaded jam in the top of the first with a strikeout and groundout, respectively, and the Phillies didn’t allow another run until the fifth inning.
In the top of the sixth inning, with the game still tied, Schwarber led off with a walk to put the Phillies on the board. He took a three-pitch center-knuckle curveball from Gallon for a solo home run over the right-center field wall.
Schwarber homered in the top of the fourth inning of Game 4 of the NLCS the previous day (Nov. 21). It was his fourth PS of the season. It was also his 19th career PS home run, breaking the all-time MLB record for most PS home runs by a left-handed hitter, surpassing Reggie Jackson’s previous mark of 18. He added one more in Game 5.
With the bases loaded and no outs, the Phillies took a 4-0 lead when Harper hit a solo home run off Gallagher. Wheeler gave up a solo home run to leadoff hitter Alex Thomas in the bottom of the seventh, but the Phillies answered in the top of the eighth when Realmuto hit a two-run homer off reliever Luis Frias to make it a five-run game, 6-1. The home run was the Phillies’ 23rd PS of the season. 굿모닝토토 주소
The Phillies preserved the lead as bullpen arms Jeff Hoffman, Seranthony Dominguez and Matt Stram pitched scoreless eighth and ninth innings.
The teams will take a day off before returning to Philadelphia’s home field at Citizens Bank Park on April 24 for Game 6 of the NLCS. Arizona will start Merrill Kelly and Philadelphia will start Aaron Nola.