The Phillies are one World Series away. If Friday night’s Game 3 victory summed up the Phillies’ often strange, never dull run into the latter stages of October, Game 4 added an exclamation point. The Phillies got just two outs off starter Bailey Falter, allowed four runs in the first, and immediately overwhelmed the San Diego Padres anyway, hitting them with a flurry of home runs to win, 10-6. and take a 3-1 series. direct
Rhys Hoskins went deep twice, Kyle Schwarber and JT Realmuto added homers of their own and Bryce Harper hit a thunderous double that put the Phillies ahead for good in the fifth inning.
The big night for the Phillies’ offense started out of necessity. San Diego put four runs on the board almost immediately, starting with a Manny Machado homer. When the Phillies came to bat, they somehow worked even faster. Where Falter left after two outs, Philadelphia chased Padres starter Mike Clevinger before getting one. Hoskins started the comeback with a two-run shot in the bottom of the first.
Bryson Stott’s RBI single brought the Phillies even in the fourth inning, but Juan Soto answered for the Padres with a two-run homer. Hoskins’ second homer tied the game again in the bottom of the fifth, and the Phillies kept hitting this time. Realmuto drew a walk, and then Harper doubled the go-ahead run, reaching second and demonstratively yelling to the dugout. He is now batting .410 this postseason.
The rest, it turns out, was gravy. Harper scored on a single by Nick Castellanos, and then Realmuto and Schwarber added solo homers later.
Starting with Connor Brogdon, the Phillies’ bullpen held up a little better than San Diego’s. Swingman Nick Martinez kept the Padres in it with three scoreless innings, but regular-season starter Sean Manaea folded under the Phillies’ barrage, allowing five runs in 1 1/3 innings. Left-hander Brad Hand picked up the win despite being Philadelphia’s only reliever to allow runs.
The story continues
Now Rob Thomson’s postseason game fanatics have a chance to claim the NL pennant in front of their raucous home fans. Game 5 will be set up as a rematch of the pitchers’ duel from Game 1: Phillies ace Zack Wheeler vs. Padres ace Yu Darvish. If Wheeler and the Phillies win again, they’ll celebrate with champagne.
Weather permitting: There is rain in both Philadelphia and ALCS host New York that could affect Sunday’s games, with Game 5 tipping off at 2:37pm ET on FS1.
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