David Bridges
Daniel Shirey/MLB Photos via Getty Images
The Philadelphia Phillies are one win away from the World Series after outlasting the San Diego Padres, 10-6, in a slugfest in Game 4 of the National League Championship Series.
Philadelphia tied a franchise record for the largest playoff comeback after trailing 4-0.
San Diego landed the first haymaker with four runs, all with two outs, in the top of the first inning. Phillies starter Bailey Falter was pulled after Brandon Drury doubled to make it a 3-0 game.
Going into the bottom of the first trailing 4-0, the Phillies wasted no time attacking Padres starter Mike Clevinger. They scored three runs after four hitters to knock Clevinger out of the game without recording an out.
Both bullpens did settle into a good rhythm for a bit. They traded zeroes in the second and third innings before Bryson Stott’s RBI single in the bottom of the fourth tied the game at four.
The Padres responded in the top of the fifth when Juan Soto hit a two-run homer off Brad Hand.
San Diego’s lead was shortlived after Rhys Hoskins tied the game with a two-run blast off Sean Manaea that also inspired an instantly iconic Philadelphia image.
The Phillies added two more runs in the inning on a Bryce Harper double and Nick Castellanos single to take their first lead of the game. They padded their advantage with solo homers by Kyle Schwarber in the sixth and J.T. Realmuto in the seventh.
Jayson Stark @jaysonst
Phillies offense in their home games in this postseason<br><br>Gm 3 NLDS – 9 runs<br>Gm 4 NLDS – 8 runs<br>Game 3 NLCS – 4 rus<br>Game 4 NLCS – 9 runs (so far)<br><br>That’s 30 runs in 4 games.<br><br>The NL record for most in 4 home games to start a postseason is 32, by the 2004 Cardinals.
After another memorable postseason performance that gave the Phillies an opportunity to clinch a berth in the World Series in front of their home crowd, Philadelphia fans were understandably fired up.
Eric Schlechte @BoiseSquid
<a href=”https://twitter.com/Phillies?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>@Phillies</a> on the cusp of a WS berth. <a href=”https://twitter.com/Eagles?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>@Eagles</a> as the only undefeated team in the NFL. <a href=”https://twitter.com/NHLFlyers?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>@NHLFlyers</a> doing great. There’s definitely something special happening in Philadelphia.
The Phillies were the final team to clinch a playoff berth this season. They didn’t lock up the third NL wild-card spot until Oct. 3, two days before the end of the regular season. Their 87-75 record was the worst of the 12 teams that made the field.
Since the start of the playoffs, though, the Phillies have been red hot. They swept the St. Louis Cardinals in the wild-card round and needed four games in the NLDS to eliminate the defending World Series champion Atlanta Braves.
Saturday’s win was a different type of performance than the Phillies have had, but the end result was the same as it has been for most of the playoffs. Their 10 runs were the most by a Philadelphia team in the postseason since Game 1 of the 2011 NLDS (11).
Sunday will feature the aces for both teams dueling it out. Yu Darvish gets the nod looking to get the Padres back to San Diego for Game 6. Zack Wheeler will get the start with a chance to send the Phillies to their first Fall Classic since 2009.
Game 5 will begin at 2:37 p.m. ET from Citizens Bank Park.
Maya Kensington
Ivy Caldwell
