Phillies beat Padres 2-0 in game one of NLCS, while Wheeler shines

SAN DIEGO - “I’m always down the stairs, so I can keep my head… I heard it and ran out, crazy…” That’s what Zack Wheeler had to say when he was asked about Kyle Schwarber’s moonshot to right field that gave the Phillies a 2-0 lead.

It takes a lot to get to an ace when they are on their game and we saw that tonight as Zack Wheeler went 7 scoreless innings while only allowing one hit to the friars’ potent offense.

But that has been what we’ve come to expect from Wheeler, who has allowed only 4 runs since he made his return from the IL on September 21st. Despite receiving minimal help at times “Wheels” has kept it rolling for the Fightins and has become a key contributor to this postseason run.

Speaking of minimal offense, we didn’t see all too much from the Phils bats tonight. With the expectation of two electrifying homers from Bryce Harper and Kyle Schwarber respectively. Schwarbers 6th inning blast is already drawing comparisons to Matt Stairs’ famed “into the night” home run in the 2008 NLCS at Dodger Stadium.

One issue did seem to arise when Rob Thomson elected to remove Zack Wheeler, who was cruising at just 83 pitches when he was lifted following the 7th inning.

Luckily Seranthony Dominguez set down the Friars in order 1-2-3, fixing the stage for Jose Alverado to give us our nightly dose of Atropine as he walked Jurickson Profar. It seemed the game may come to an end as Juan Soto dribbled a ball to a shifted Alec Bohm who flipped it past Bryson Stott, putting two on with one away in the bottom of the ninth and all of a sudden things began to seem bleak. But just in the nick of time, Alvarado would snap back to reality setting the last two Padres batters in succession ending the ballgame, and putting the Phils up 2-0 in the series.

Now the Phillies will look to take a two games to none lead over the friars tomorrow afternoon. Aaron Nola will take the mound for the Fightins as Blake Snell tows the rubber for the Friars, and you better believe that Bryce Harper will be out for revenge this time around, as Snell was the man who put Harper on the shelf for the majority of the season with a broken thumb. But for wherever you are, good morning, good afternoon, and good night, and of course Go Phils!