Early homers propel Phils past D-backs in NLCS opener
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[October 17, 2023]
PHILADELPHIA -- First, Kyle Schwarber did what he often does
in the playoffs.
Then, Bryce Harper did what he's always wanted to do on his
birthday.
Schwarber led off Game 1 of the National League Championship Series
with a first-pitch homer Monday night, and Harper, celebrating his
31st birthday, homered one out later to spark the host Philadelphia
Phillies to a 5-3 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Game 2 of the best-of-seven series is scheduled for Tuesday night in
Philadelphia, where Aaron Nola is slated to start for the reigning
NL champion Phillies against Merrill Kelly.
Schwarber, who entered Monday hitting .160 with no homers, one RBI
and 10 strikeouts in 25 at-bats this postseason, sent the already
enthusiastic crowd of 45,396 into a frenzy by hitting Zac Gallen's
first pitch -- a 92 mph fastball -- 420 feet into the right field
bleachers.
It was a record fourth career playoff leadoff homer for Schwarber.
"I don't know if anybody called it," Phillies right fielder Nick
Castellanos, speaking to MLB Network following the game, said of
Schwarber's homer. "But we've seen it so many times."
![](http://archives.lincolndailynews.com/2023/Oct/17/images/ads/current/merealty_sda_FOOTBALL_2023.png)
After Trea Turner lined out, Harper homered on the first pitch he
saw from Gallen for his fourth homer of these playoffs and his 10th
homer in the last two postseasons. He's the fourth player to go deep
in a playoff game on his birthday, joining Willie Mays Aikens
(1980), current Diamondbacks third baseman Evan Longoria (2013) and
Kolten Wong (2015) in the select club.
"Hey man, he continuously shows out when he's supposed to,"
Castellanos told MLB Network. "He's locked in, man."
Harper is performing in the playoffs for the sixth time in his
12-year career, but Monday marked the first time he played on his
birthday. The Washington Nationals were eliminated in the Division
Series in 2012, 2014, 2016 and 2017 and the Phillies had an off day
last Oct. 16, one day after they closed out a four-game win over the
Atlanta Braves in the NLDS.
"I've always wanted to play on my birthday," Harper said in a
pregame news conference. "I've always wanted to do this, so I'm
excited to have the opportunity and the chance to do it."
Castellanos remained hot by homering in the third for the Phillies,
who have 12 homers in their last three games -- the most homers in a
three-game span in playoff history. Harper and Castellanos have
eight of those round-trippers.
The Phillies extended their lead to 5-0 on RBI singles by Harper and
J.T. Realmuto in the third and fifth innings, respectively, before
the Diamondbacks began mounting a comeback against Zack Wheeler
(2-0) and Seranthony Dominguez.
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![](../images/101723PIX/sports45.jpg)
Oct 16, 2023; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Phillies
first baseman Bryce Harper (3) hits a solo home run during the first
inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks in game one of the NLCS for
the 2023 MLB playoffs at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Bill
Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
![](../images/ads/current/graue_lda_4_2021.png)
Longoria's leadoff single in the sixth snapped a
streak of 15 consecutive batters retired by Wheeler before Geraldo
Perdomo homered to right.
The Diamondbacks, who were 84-78 in the regular season and earned
the final wild card before reaching the championship series for the
first time since 2007, inched closer in the seventh. Christian
Walker drew a leadoff walk and raced to third when Dominguez threw
Gabriel Moreno's comebacker into center field. After Lourdes Gurriel
Jr. lined out, Walker scored on Alek Thomas' sacrifice fly.
The Diamondbacks sent the tying run again to the plate in the
eighth, when Jose Alvarado got Tommy Pham to line out to strand
Ketel Marte at first, and in the ninth, when Craig Kimbrel closed
out his third save of the playoffs by getting Gurriel to hit into a
5-4-3 double play.
"I just felt like we were going to weather the storm," Diamondbacks
manager Torey Lovullo said. "We were going to find ourselves in this
ballgame at some point. The deficit just became too large at five."
Wheeler gave up two runs on three hits and no walks while striking
out eight over six innings. He has a 0.70 WHIP in nine career
postseason starts, the lowest WHIP over any nine-start span for any
pitcher in postseason history.
![](http://archives.lincolndailynews.com/2023/Oct/17/images/ads/current/charrons_bch_2022.png)
Gallen (2-1) allowed the five runs on eight hits and two walks while
striking out four over five innings.
"It was just a big grind for him the whole day," Lovullo said.
--Field Level Media
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