After batting practice on Saturday, Phillies manager Rob Thomson gathered his relievers. He wanted to warn them ahead of time.
“He told every reliever, ‘Go early to the bullpen,’” recalled Phillies lefty José Alvarado. “I’m going insane today.” Not insane, but aggressive. What was the end result? He got it done despite employing a lot of relievers today.”
Thomson followed his pitching strategy well as the Phillies defeated the Braves 3-0 in Game 1 of the National League Division Series at Truist Park. They went into Game 1 of the best-of-five series knowing they had to not only defeat Atlanta ace Spencer Strider, who had destroyed them in seven previous regular-season starts, but also shut down what some have considered baseball’s greatest offensive squad.
The Phillies accomplished both. They went to Strider and shut out the Braves, who were shut out at home for the first time since August 28, 2021.
“That’s one of the best teams in baseball, one of the best offenses and one of the best starters in the game, and we were able to take them down [in] Game 1,” Harper said.
It’s a particularly significant outcome given that the Phillies will face Zack Wheeler in Game 2 on Monday and Aaron Nola in Game 3 on Wednesday at Citizens Bank Park.
“I think everyone is set on winning 2-0,” Nick Castellanos remarked.
Ranger Suárez began Game 1 for the Phillies, but he didn’t last long. The Braves had the best in the league.This season, the squad has 871 OPS versus lefties, the seventh-highest OPS by any team against southpaws since 1974.
Suárez struck out 10 of the first 11 hitters he faced, but he was pulled in the fourth with runners on first and second and two outs.
“You hate to take a guy out,” Thomson said. “He’s pitching very well.” He is aware that he is throwing effectively.”
The Phillies, on the other hand, thought they had something to counteract the Braves’ lineup: tremendous velocity from their bullpen. This season, Philadelphia relievers averaged an MLB-high 96.3 mph on fastballs. (In Game 1, they averaged 97.0 mph.) Atlanta slugged.509 against pitchers less than 97 mph this season, but only.396 against pitches 97 mph or faster.
With the game on the line, Phillies right-hander Jeff Hoffman came in to relieve Suárez in the fourth. He walked Marcell Ozuna to load the bases, but he ended the inning by striking out Michael Harris II swinging.
The fifth was then began by Seranthony Domnguez. He had dropped on the depth chart in previous weeks due to inconsistency, but he was now in his first major place in a long time. To conclude the inning, Domnguez struck out Ronald Acua Jr. looking on a 98 mph fastball and struck out Austin Riley swinging on a 98.5 mph fastball.
“I’m OK,” Domnguez remarked. “I understand how it works. I understand they’re doing all they can to win the game, and I appreciate that. I’m comfortable with myself. “I am confident that I can contribute to the team.”
José Alvarado, Orion Kerkering, Matt Strahm, and Craig Kimbrel all followed with zeros.
“Everything worked out,” stated Castellanos.
Strider’s dominance against the Phillies in seven career regular-season starts cannot be emphasized. In his career against the Phillies, he went 7-0 with a 2.01 ERA, striking out 67 and walking eight in 44 2/3 innings. In the fourth inning, Bryson Stott hit a 0-2 fastball to left field for a two-out RBI single, scoring Harper and giving the Phillies a 1-0 lead. That was all they needed to overcome Atlanta’s young fireballer, who also lost to Philadelphia in Game 3 of last year’s NLDS after surrendering five runs in two and a third innings.
This season, Stott led baseball with 82 two-out hits.
“I think he’d be a fantastic cricket player with the amount of foul balls he hits,” Castellanos said in a statement.
In the sixth inning, Harper crushed a first-pitch slider from Strider into the right-field seats for a single home run to make it 2-0, hitting with a 115.3 mph exit velocity. Strider has never let a hitter to hit a ball faster than 111.8 mph against him.
“Strider, man, he’s one of the best in the game, if not the best right now, striking guys out,” Harper went on to say. “He had a fantastic year, so it’s always a difficult at-bat.” You know he’s going to come at you with all his might. So I was just trying to throw a pitch over and ended up getting the slider up and doing some damage.”
Kerkering walked Acua to begin the eighth inning after pitching a scoreless seventh. Strahm stepped in and promptly gave up a single to Riley, putting runners on first and second with no outs. For the first out, Matt Olson flew out to center, moving Acua Jr. to third.
The Braves had something in the works, but Thomson’s pitching strategy prevailed once again, this time via their star infielder.
Ozzie Albies connected on a strong grounder up the middle. Trea Turner of the Philadelphia Phillies dived to his left, grabbed the ball, scrambled to his knees, and flipped the ball to second baseman Stott, who threw to first for an inning-ending double play.
“I think it’s the best play I’ve ever seen,” remarked Domnguez. “The game, that kind of moment.” That was amazing.”
Turner roared and pounded his fists. It was the Phillies’ sixth straight Game 1 playoff triumph, the fifth-longest streak in MLB history.
“It was a big moment,” Turner said.
More in Sports: https://buzzing.today/sports/
Photo Credits: https://commons.wikimedia.org/