Arrr! The Phillies be a-losing control in the 8th, but the Diamondbacks be rallying, makin' the NLCS a tie!
2023-10-21
Arr, me hearty! In the 8th inning, the notorious Philadelphia Phillies' closer, Craig Kimbrel, was summoned to defend the lead. Alas, his efforts were in vain, for he allowed a scurvy two-run homer to be plundered by the cunning Alek Thomas!
In a surprising turn of events, the Philadelphia Phillies were unable to secure a commanding lead in the National League Championship series. The Diamondbacks had other plans and managed to snatch victory from the Phillies' grasp. Phillies manager Robert Thomson made the bold decision to bring in closer Craig Kimbrel in the 8th inning, despite his previous game's mishap. Kimbrel, who had been reliable throughout the regular season, gave up a leadoff double to Lourdes Gurriel. Evan Longoria flied out, but then pinch-hitter Alek Thomas swooped in and hit a two-run homer to tie the game. The Diamondbacks' catcher Gabriel Moreno later sealed the deal with a go-ahead RBI single.Despite the Phillies' comeback from a 2-0 deficit, it was not enough to secure the win. The retractable roof at the Diamondbacks' home ballpark was closed due to record-breaking temperatures in Phoenix. Kyle Schwarber's contribution, a double in the ninth inning, was not enough to turn the tide in favor of the Phillies.
Arizona, making their first postseason appearance since 2017, managed to take the lead after losing the first two games of the series. The Diamondbacks built a two-run lead against the defending NL champions with run-scoring singles by Rivera and Moreno. The Phillies will now rely on Zack Wheeler and likely Aaron Nola for the next games, while Zac Gallen is scheduled to pitch for the Diamondbacks in their final home game of the series. The crucial Game 5 is set for Saturday evening.