Phillies win in “pretty refreshing” fashion over Dodgers to open series originally appeared in NBC Sports Philadelphia
It would be a hassle, for sure. But the Phillies wouldn’t mind too much if there was some pretty heavy traffic around the Sports Complex on Sunday, October 13th.
See, that’s where the League Championship Series begins. And from their perspective, playing at Citizens Bank Park would be worth the inconvenience of any standoff that would result from the Eagles hosting the Browns across the street that day.
That would mean they were one step away from the World Series. Just as importantly, this would mean they would secure home-field advantage, at least in that critical round and possibly throughout the game. Those are the spoils that go to the winner of most regular season games.
(Before anyone’s blood pressure starts rising, the Phillies could still secure the whip hand without the added headaches of ingress and egress. Major League Baseball has not yet announced which league would go first. If it were the AL , the Phillies would play the following night, which would reduce stress for both drivers and SEPTA.)
The point of this little crystal baseball observation experiment is that the Phillies would very much like to win more games than anyone else this year. Of course. They are 32-13 (.711) at CBP this season and 26-19 (.577) everywhere else.
That’s why Tuesday night’s 10-1 victory over the Dodgers before a sellout crowd of 43,065 on Tuesday night had an extra special touch. And remember, this was a matchup that already featured the two best teams in the league. Plus, as a bonus, the opportunity to see top NL Most Valuable Player candidates, Los Angeles’ Shohei Ohtani and Philadelphia’s Bryce Harper, on the same field.
“It’s another game,” said shortstop Trea Turner, whose grand slam in the fourth put the Phillies up by eight. “But at the same time, you like to see where you compare. This is the first time we’ve played them this year. We haven’t been there yet. I think the way we won is quite refreshing and gives us confidence to move forward.”
The Phillies now have a 4 1/2 game lead over the Dodgers. And while forecasting at this point in the season is even riskier than long-range weather predictions, it wouldn’t be a shock to see LA back in just over three months.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts began clearing his bench shortly after the Phillies scored three in the second and sixth in the fourth. Phillies manager Rob Thomson did the same soon after. Positional player Kike Hernandez came in to pitch seventh for the Dodgers and recorded the final four outs.
Still, it would be foolish to read too much into this banter or assume the offense broke out just because Harper and designated hitter Kyle Schwarber were back in the lineup for the first time since June 27.
“It felt like the team was getting its act together,” said left tackle Brandon Marsh. “It’s a great feeling to have these guys back in the lineup. They are huge pieces to our team. We’re not going anywhere without them. They show the way and we follow them. It’s good to have them back. They are the face of our team.
“It was good to go out and make a statement, but now we have to go out and do it again.”
Most of the damage came against Dodgers right-hander Bobby Miller, who gave up nine earned runs on 10 hits and 3 walks in four innings. It was his third start since missing two months with shoulder inflammation and increased his earned run average to 8.07.
It’s a safe bet he won’t be part of the postseason rotation unless he executes a dramatic turnaround between now and then.
Additionally, most of the damage came from Marsh, catcher Rafael Marchan, and center fielder Johan Rojas. The 7-8-9 hitters combined for 7-for-9 with seven runs scored and three RBI. This included two doubles by Marchan and a home run by Marsh, who also walked and stole a base. Rojas reached the seventh when he was hit in the hand by a pitch.
Rojas looked like he might be seriously injured by Thomson, who said after the game that he didn’t even need x-rays.
Postgame reports on starter Zack Wheeler, who left the game with tightness in his left lower back, were also encouraging.
And in case you’re wondering, the Eagles don’t have any home games scheduled during the World Series.
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