Phillies’ Aaron Nola in a clincher on Friday at Citizens Bank Park? Five thoughts on a huge Game 1 win.
With Zack Wheeler on the mound in Game 2, the Phillies have a chance to set up an absolutely bonkers Friday in South Philadelphia.
Phillies right fielder Nick Castellanos and first baseman Rhys Hoskins celebrate their 7-6 win over the Braves in Game 1.Read moreYong Kim / Staff Photographer
ATLANTA — You don’t want to get ahead of yourself. But in a five-game series, how can you not? Only five days ago, the Phillies weren’t even certain that they’d play a home game this postseason. Now, after a 7-6 win over the Braves in Game 1 of the National League Division series, the first playoff game at Citizens Bank Park in over a decade could potentially see the Phillies playing to clinch a berth in the National League Championship Series.
There’s your first thought from Game 1. With Zack Wheeler on the mound in Game 2 fresh off 6⅔ scoreless innings in his postseason debut, the Phillies have a chance to set up an absolutely bonkers Friday evening in South Philadelphia.
Four other takeaways from Monday’s mammoth win over the Braves:
Did somebody say small ball?
Once upon a team, the Phillies envisioned themselves slugging their way to contention. But of the 15 runs they’ve scored this postseason, only one has been driven in by way of an extra-base hit. Against the Braves on Tuesday, they hit four RBI singles plus two sacrifice flies. The total so far this postseason: eight runs on six singles and the rest on three sacrifice flies, two fielder’s choices, a walk, and a hit by pitch. Naturally.
To bunt or not to bunt?
There’s a school of thought that says the best way to beat the shift is for hitters to put it where they ain’t. A lot of people spent a lot of Ryan Howard’s career begging him to lay down a bunt toward third base. It’s a reasonable argument, but we saw the counter to it early on in Game 1, when Bryce Harper and Kyle Schwarber both gave away plate appearances by laying down bunts. Harper’s attempt came with nobody out in the third inning, and it was technically successful, moving J.T. Realmuto to second base with two out. In the end, though, it didn’t accomplish much. Realmuto held up at third base on Nick Castellanos’ ensuing fly ball double to right field, leaving runners at second and third with one out (he then scored on a sacrifice fly by Alec Bohm).
Schwarber, who has had some epic struggles against the Braves’ pitching staff this year, tried to lay down a bunt against the shift in the fourth inning, but popped it up into foul territory. The Braves couldn’t chase it down for an out, but Schwarber picked up his second strike and then struck out looking on the next pitch.
Phillies right fielder Nick Castellanos celebrates with teammate first baseman Rhys Hoskins after they won Game 1 of the NLDS against the Atlanta Braves at Truist Park in Atlanta, GA on Tuesday, October 11, 2022. The Phillies beat the Braves 7-6.Read moreYong Kim / Staff Photographer
Philadelphia Phillies right fielder Nick Castellanos reacts after he makes a sliding catch for the second out in the ninth inning against the Atlanta Braves in Game 1 of the NLDS in Atlanta, Ga.Read moreYong Kim / Staff Photographer
Philadelphia Phillies catcher, J.T. Realmuto and pitcher, Zack Eflin, embrace at the of the Game 1 of the National League Division baseball playoff game against the Atlanta Braves, in Atlanta.Read moreJose F. Moreno / Staff Photographer
Philadelphia Phillies Nick Castellanos celebrates at the end of Game 1 of the National League Division baseball playoff game against the Atlanta Braves, in Atlanta.Read moreJose F. Moreno / Staff Photographer
Philadelphia Phillies pitcher, Jose Alvarado reacts during the 8th inning of Game 1 of the National League Division baseball playoff game against the Atlanta Braves, in Atlanta.Read moreJose F. Moreno / Staff Photographer
Philadelphia Phillies right fielder Nick Castellanos makes a sliding catch for the second out in the ninth inning against the Atlanta Braves in game one of the NLDS in Atlanta, Ga. on Tuesday, Oct. 11, 2022.Read moreYong Kim / Staff Photographer
Philadelphia Phillies relief pitcher Jose Alvarado gestures after getting the final out in the 8th inning against the Atlanta Braves in Game 1 of the NLDS in Atlanta, Ga. Read moreYong Kim / Staff Photographer
Philadelphia Phillies relief pitcher Seranthony Dominguez pitches in the sixth inning as the Atlanta Braves host the Philadelphia Phillies in Game 1 of the NLDS in Atlanta, Ga.Read moreYong Kim / Staff Photographer
Philadelphia Phillies Matt Vierling runs to get a second out on center field during the 5th inning of Game 1 of the National League Division baseball playoff game against the Atlanta Braves, in Atlanta.Read moreJose F. Moreno / Staff Photographer
Philadelphia Phillies Brad Hand, throws during the 5th inning of Game One of the National League Division baseball playoff game against the Atlanta Braves, in Atlanta.Read moreJose F. Moreno / Staff Photographer
Philadelphia Phillies Rhys Hoskins celebrates on second base after a double in the 4th inning of Game 1 of the National League Division baseball playoff game against the Atlanta Braves, in Atlanta.Read moreJose F. Moreno / Staff Photographer
Philadelphia Phillies third baseman Alec Bohm pats starting pitcher Ranger Suarez (center) as he exits the game in the fourth inning against the Atlanta Brave.Read moreYong Kim / Staff Photographer
Philadelphia Phillies Rhys Hoskins is congratulated in dugout after scoring a run in the 4th inning of Game 1 of the National League Division baseball playoff game against the Atlanta Braves, in Atlanta.Read moreJose F. Moreno / Staff Photographer
Philadelphia Phillies Rhys Hoskins, dives on home plate to score from a Nick Castellanos single, during the 4th inning of Game 1 of the National League Division baseball playoff game against the Atlanta Braves, in Atlanta.Read moreJose F. Moreno / Staff Photographer
Philadelphia Phillies right fielder Nick Castellanos slides safely passed Atlanta Braves catcher Travis d'Arnaud (left) in the third inning as the Atlanta Braves host the Philadelphia Phillies in Game 1 of the NLDS in Atlanta, Ga.Read moreYong Kim / Staff Photographer
Philadelphia Phillies right fielder Nick Castellanos (right) celebrates with his teammates after scoring in the third inning as the Atlanta Braves host the Philadelphia Phillies in Game 1 of the NLDS in Atlanta, Ga.Read moreYong Kim / Staff Photographer
Philadelphia Phillies starting pitcher Ranger Suarez reacts to striking out Atlanta Braves catcher Travis d'Arnaud to end the third inning as the Atlanta Braves host the Philadelphia Phillies in Game 1 of the NLDS in Atlanta, Ga.Read moreYong Kim / Staff Photographer
Philadelphia Phillies Rhys Hoskins, dives on home plate to score from a Nick Castellanos single, during the first inning of Game 1 of the National League Division baseball playoff game against the Atlanta Braves, in Atlanta.Read moreJose F. Moreno / Staff Photographer
Philadelphia Phillies J.T. Relamuto hits a single in the first inning of Game 1 of the National League Division baseball playoff game against the Atlanta Braves, in Atlanta.Read moreJose F. Moreno / Staff Photographer
Philadelphia Phillies J.T. Relamuto scores the first run in the first inning of Game 1 of the National League Division baseball playoff game against the Atlanta Braves, in Atlanta.Read moreJose F. Moreno / Staff Photographer
Philadelphia Phillies starting pitcher, Ranger Suarez,center, talks with teammates at the mound during during the first inning of Game 1 of the National League Division baseball playoff game against the Atlanta Braves, in Atlanta.Read moreJose F. Moreno / Staff Photographer
Philadelphia Phillies catcher J.T. Realmuto celebrates after scoring on a Nick Castellanos single in the first inning as the Atlanta Braves host the Philadelphia Phillies in Game 1 of the NLDS in Atlanta, Ga.Read moreYong Kim / Staff Photographer
Philadelphia Phillies designated hitter Bryce Harper celebrates in the dugout after scoring on Alec Bohm’s single in the first inning as the Atlanta Braves host the Philadelphia Phillies in Game 1 of the NLDS in Atlanta, Ga. Read moreYong Kim / Staff Photographer
Philadelphia Phillies manager Rob Thomson watches from the dugout before the Atlanta Braves host the Philadelphia Phillies in Game 1 of the NLDS in Atlanta, Ga.Read moreYong Kim / Staff Photographer
Are there situations where it makes sense for a power hitter like Schwarber or Harper to attempt to bunt?
Sure. Problem is, these guys aren’t used to bunting. And if one of your best hitters is going to give away one of their four or five opportunities to truly change the game in favor of moving a runner or bunting their way to first base, they better be successful. Credit the mindset, for sure. I’m just not sure the risk-reward makes it a wise move.
Bunting, base running, RBI singles — add defense to the list of counterintuitive turns this postseason has taken.
Bohm helped put the Phillies in position for a 2-0 win in Game 2 against the Cardinals with a couple of great catches of line drives down the third-base line. In Game 1 of the NLDS, it was Matt Vierling and Nick Castellanos making a couple of catches on a dead sprint to help preserve the win. Castellanos’ sliding catch of a sinking line drive in the ninth inning? Sure, of course. Why not.