Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports
Energized Philadelphia Phillies Power Past Braves in Game 3 for NLDS Lead
The Philadelphia Phillies returned home after 19 days on the road. The goal was always to get back to Citizens Bank Park to play a postseason game for the first time since October 2011.
Mission accomplished.
The fans were ready, and the ballpark was electric.
With the National League Divisional Series against the Atlanta Braves tied 1-1 coming into the evening, the Phillies once again turned to their ace in Aaron Nola to help right the ship and take the series lead.
Over the course of 6.0 innings pitched, Nola struck out six, walked two, and didn't give up a single earned run. The only run that scored on his watch was when Braves' shortstop Dansby Swanson scored in the sixth inning following an error by first baseman Rhys Hoskins.
Nola's 2022 MLB postseason ERA still sits at 0.00 after two starts. His last three starts have helped clinch a postseason berth, a NLDS berth, and now the lead in the NLDS.
Each start represents the biggest moment in his career up to that point.
The longest-tenured Phillie delivered. But according to Nola, the fans played a huge part in his success.
"It was awesome," Nola said. "It's been a while since we've been in the playoffs here, obviously. And to see the fans like what they were tonight is awesome. The hitters, what they did tonight as well, just sparked it up even more, in my opinion. It's a fun night and it's a great team win right there."
It wasn't just Nola who impressed in the 9-1 victory, nearly the entire offense got in on the action.
Center fielder Brandon Marsh's walk to start the third was the spark that began a six-run inning. Marsh then advanced to third base on a throwing error by Braves' starter Spencer Strider.
Rookie shortstop Bryson Stott worked an incredible at-bat against Strider that resulted in a RBI double that scored Marsh.
Not only was he credited with the game-winning RBI, but Stott became the youngest player in team history to record a game-winning RBI per Elias.
Kyle Schwarber was then intentionally walked in hopes that Hoskins, next up to bat, would ground into a double play.
Hoskins made Atlanta pay.
In the very first pitch of the at-bat, Hoskins launched a three-run home run to left field that scored Stott and Schwarber. The first baseman took some satisfaction in snapping a cold streak while also proving his point to the Braves.
When asked if there was any extra motivation when coming to the plate after Schwarber's intentional walk, Hoskins wasn't shy in his admission.
"Yes, of course. I'm human. I'm a competitor," said Hoskins. "They're obviously telling me something right away before I even step in the box. So I'm ready to compete. And I think when you light a little bit of a fire under somebody, tend to hone in and focus a little bit more and just didn't miss."
But the home runs didn't stop there.
To cap off the six-run third inning, Bryce Harper launched a two-run home run to right field that scored J.T. Realmuto who reached on a single.
After experiencing some struggles at the plate to end the regular season, Harper has found his footing in the postseason and is slashing .444/.500/.944 with two home runs through four games.
He's hot now when it matters most.
The offense continued its tear in the seventh inning when it added on three insurance runs, not that they would need them.
Kyle Schwarber led off with a single, snapping an 0-for-17 streak, before being replaced with Matt Vierling.
After a Hoskins walk and Realmuto fielder's choice, Harper was back to the plate. He lined a hard double to center field, one that Michael Harris II couldn't handle at the wall, scoring Vierling to make it 7-1.
Nick Castellanos, who has regained form this series, then put the nail in the proverbial coffin with a two-run single to make it 9-1.
The entire sellout crowd of 45,538 fans at Citizens Bank Park could not be contained. The atmosphere was unlike anything this club has experienced in over a decade, and it's ultimately propelling the team forward.
It wasn't lost on any player or coach just what this crowd did and what it meant to the franchise on Friday.
From Manager Rob Thomson to players such as Nola, Hoskins, and Harper, they all used the terms "electric" and "loud," and was it ever.
Friday's win now puts the Phillies in position to clinch as soon as Saturday, at home in Philadelphia, in front of what promises to be a raucous crowd.
To think of this team in this position would have been hard to imagine just two weeks ago.
But it seems to make perfect sense now.
Everything is clicking at the right moment for this ball club. Nola is pitching at an incredible level, perhaps the best of his career. Harper is producing at an otherworldly level. Hoskins has shown signs that his cold streak is behind him. Castellanos is hitting the ball better than he has all season.
This was the blueprint used when this team was being built over the course of last winter.
It's finally coming to fruition.
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