Phillies Smash D'Backs Again, Take Game 2

If I were an attorney for the Phillies, I’d consider filing for a patent on the Phillies’ postseason formula—hit early solo home runs, pitch with power and finesse, add on more runs, win game. When the patent issues from the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office, the Phillies can sue to stop every other team from copying their formula.

Probably only a scheme a lawyer-turned-baseball writer could dream up. And rest assured, as crazy as some of the patents are that do issue from the USPTO, my plan would be rejected.

But the underlying truth is the same.

The Phillies’ Game 2 win over the Diamondbacks was a near copycat of their Game 1 victory through the first 5 innings. Trea Turner solo home run in the 1st inning. Kyle Schwarber solo home run in the 3rd inning. Phillies ahead 2-0 with starter Aaron Nola dicing and slicing his way through the D’Backs lineup.

But they also added new ingredients, including several tremendous defensive plays by third baseman Alec Bohm to keep Arizona off the bases and off the board. Bohm has come a long way since early in the 2022 season when he was caught on camera during a game—after he made his third error—saying, “I f**cking hate this place.”

Nola shut down the D’Backs just as his teammate Zack Wheeler did in Game 1. Nola featured a devilish mix of pitches in and around the strike zone that kept D’Backs hitters guessing all night—a fastball that topped 93 mph, a front-door sinker, a change up, and a knuckle curve ball.

With Nola cruising through 6 innings, but the game still close at 2-0, Kyle Schwarber took matters into his own hands by hitting his second home run of the game to give the Phillies some breathing room. According to MLB Network, Schwarber hit the first home run off Merrill Kelly’s changeup all season. Then the floodgates opened.

Kelly walked Turner and then retired Bryce Harper and Alec Bohm. With Bryson Stott—a leftie—up next, Torey Lovullo pulled Kelly in favor of Joe Mantiply. More like Joe Multiply the runs scored (okay, that’s not terribly original). Still, by the end of the 6th inning, the Phillies’ lead had grown to 6-0.

In one of my X-Factors for this series, I asked “Which bullpen will crack first?” I wrote, “Track records suggest the D’Backs bullpen will crack first.” Nailed that one. Mantiply and Ryne Nelson each gave up 3 runs despite pitching a combined one inning.

The Phillies’ offense is so locked in right now that they effortlessly rolled over the D’Backs’ two best starters in Gallen and Kelly. Rookie Brandon Pfaadt will get the start in Game 3 but the Arizona bullpen will be on high alert for an early entrance should Pfaadt falter. But with cracks in the D’Backs’ bullpen showing, the question is whether Arizona has enough good pitching left to make a run at knocking out the Phillies.

Game 3 is Thursday at 5:00 pm EDT/2:00 pm PDT. The Phillies have not yet announced a starter.