The drought is over, and our beloved Phillies advance to the NLDS for the first time since 2011. There is so much to say and there are so many emotions regarding not only this series, but the 11-year drought ending.
GAME ONE
This game was insane. There isn’t a better way to describe it.
Wheeler was on the mound for this game, and we can’t ask for a better stat line. He went 6.2 innings with four strikeouts, one walk, and only two hits. Jose Alvarado relieved him and made our hearts sink. He gave up a two-run home run but did complete the inning without allowing anything else. Robertson, who got the win, pitched the entire eighth inning and had two strikeouts. Eflin came in to close the ninth and made things interesting by walking one, allowing two hits, and allowing one run, but he closed out the game to give us the win. They combined for five hits, three earned runs, three walks, and seven strikeouts.
The offense was aggravating for eight out of nine innings in this game. They couldn’t get anything going and after the two-run home run from Yepez, the aggravation was getting worse. With one out and bases loaded, it felt like it was a matter of time before the game is over, but Bohm got hit by a pitch to drive in a run and suddenly everything changed. Segura made contact witha pitch low and outside to drive in two runs. Stott then grounded into fielder’s choice to drive in Sosa and make the score 4-2. After that, Marsh drove in Segura with a single. Schwarber ended the scoring with a sacrifice fly and make the score 6-2.
This was not an easy game to watch for 8/9 innings, but the result is a win and that is all that matters.
GAME TWO
I forgot how nervous playoff baseball makes me. Anything can happen at any given moment, and I forgot what that felt like tohave a shot at that happening to my team.
Another crucial game for Nola, another fantastic outing. He went 6.2 innings, had six strikeouts, one walk, and four hits. Alvarado finished the sixth and started the seventh by allowing only one walk. Seranthony was sent in to finish the eighth inning and allowed one hit while striking out two. Eflin, a gutsy move from Thomson, got put in to close out the ninth inning. He made it interesting by allowing two hits, but he did close it out. They combined for seven hits, two walks, and eight strikeouts. You won’t hear complaints from me about the pitching.
The offense didn’t do much, but it started with a Bryce blast 435 feet to right field for a home run in the second inning. Schwarber got the insurance run thanks to a Bohm ground rule double, Segura hit by pitch, and a Stott walk. The offense combined for four hits, five walks, and seven strikeouts.
The defense came in clutch as well. Bohm had a couple fantastic catches at third, Stott had some plays at short, Segura had some plays at second, and Sosa had the game-ending catch to send his former team into the offseason.
That was for 2011, Cardinals. Let’s go to the NLDS. I will be there Friday.
11 more. Let’s do this.
