Diamondbacks outclassed by Phillies in Game 2 loss, down 2-0 in NLCS
Oct 17, 2023, 8:16 PM | Updated: 11:14 pm
The Arizona Diamondbacks were outclassed by the Philadelphia Phillies in Game 2 of the National League Championship Series, a 10-0 loss that puts them down 2-0 in the series.
The Arizona bats were baffled by Phillies starter Aaron Nola all night.
D-backs hitters had a tremendous approach at the plate in the postseason coming into the series but have been looking fooled by Philly’s starters. After a lot of swing-and-miss looks in Game 1, Arizona for Game 2 appeared caught off guard and guessed wrong in several instances, resulting in a few strikeouts caught looking on balls in the zone with room to spare.
Nola allowed three hits on zero walks across his six innings. Ketel Marte’s single and double made up for two of the three hits, making up for the two times Arizona put a runner in scoring position against Nola.
The singles from him and Gabriel Moreno in the fourth inning placed runners on first and second with two outs but Lourdes Gurriel Jr. grounded out. Marte’s double in the sixth was followed by a Tommy Pham groundout and Christian Walker strikeout.
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After falling behind 6-0 six innings in, Arizona’s offense in the final three innings off the Phillies bullpen managed a walk and a single.
D-backs starting pitcher Merrill Kelly pitched very, very well. The problem was the three hits he gave up were all home runs, two of which were on fastballs right over the center of the plate that Trea Turner (1st inning) and Kyle Schwarber (3rd) smashed. In the sixth, Schwarber’s second long ball off Kelly came shortly before Kelly’s exit. Kelly also walked three with six strikeouts.
One of those walks was to Turner in the sixth, and he plus Bryson Stott scored on a two-run double from J.T. Realmuto off D-backs left-handed reliever Joe Mantiply. One of those runs was charged to Kelly. Realmuto was brought in to score on another RBI double, that one from Brandon Marsh to make it 6-0 Phillies through six innings.
Philadelphia managed to add four more runs off D-backs reliever Ryne Nelson in the seventh, one of which was added to Mantiply’s tally.
The Phillies now hold a 2-0 series lead as it comes to Phoenix for Game 3 on Thursday. The D-backs will go with Brandon Pfaadt while the Phillies counter with Ranger Suarez. Pregame coverage begins at 1:30 p.m. and you can hear all the action on the Arizona Sports app, 98.7 and ArizonaSports.com.
