Phillies Take Down Reds: Evil Empire Returns To KPSL Championship Series

Last year the Reds got the bye with 52 wins and met the Phillies in the playoffs.  The Phillies swept them onto their 13^th World Series appearance.  Déjà vu, the Reds got the bye this time with 63 wins (2^nd all-time) and again meet the Phillies in the playoffs with an appearance in the World Series once again on the line. 

GAME 1

Aaron Nola vs Corbin Burnes

Phillies jump out early in the first inning on a Jacob Stalling two single scoring Jose Altuve for a 1-0 lead.  In the top of the third Michael Harris singles steal second, Bryce Harper strikes out.  Corbin Burnes gets the quick hook and in comes Nick Martinez to face Jemar Encarnacion.  First pitch swinging he hits a two out double and scores Michael Harris for a 2-0 Phillies lead.  It looked like Aaron Nola would make those runs hold up as he allowed 1 hit thru the first innings.  IN the bottom of the sixth the Red got to Nola as Elly Dela Cruz leads of the inning with a triple and scores on a Ketel Marte single.  The Reds threaten getting runners on the 2^nd and 3^rd, but Nola strikes out Eugenio Suarez to stop the rally.  Onto the bottom of the seventh, and the Reds take the lead on back to back homers by Brenton Doyle and Kyle Higoshioka and the Reds lead 3-2.  The Reds bullpen does it job over the last two innings and the Reds have a 1-0 lead

REDS 3 PHILLIES 2

WP: A. Asby (1-0) LP: A. Nola (0-1) SV: R. Suarez (1)

HR: B. Doyle (1) K. Higoshioka (1)

OTHER NOTES:  Michael Harris and KeBryan Hayes were injured for 1 game and were going to miss Game 2

GAME 2

Fernando Cruz vs Hunter Greene

The Phillies starters, maybe with the exception of Nola was the weak point in the series.  So the Phillies decided to use the opener strategy and see how that would work.  At the end of the first inning, it looked like this plan would backfire as the Reds took a quick 2-0 lead on an Eugenio Suarez two run single scoring Elly Dela Cruz and Ketel Marte.  The Phillies would cut the lead in half on a Bryson Stott single that scored Jose Altuve who had doubled to lead off the top of the third.  Jose Altuve would tie the game in the 5^th with a solo shot.  Bryce Harper would hit a solo shot to give the Phillies a 3-2 lead in the top of the 7^th.  Francisco Lindor added a 2 run homerun to give the Phillies a 5-2 lead.  THe Phillies bullpen of Ryan Yarbrough, Evan Phillips and Kevin Ginkel allowed 2 hits over 7 2/3 innings, but more importantly zero runs.  Edwin Diaz entered the game in the bottom of the ninth, got two quick outs then walked pinch hitter Giancarlo Stanton and then served up a two run tater to Eugenio Suarez.  Brendan Donovan would line out to Bryson Stott to end the game.  Series tied at 1

PHILLIES 5 REDS 4

WP: R. Yarbrough (1-0) LP: H. Greene (0-1) SV: E. Diaz (1)

HR: J. Altuve (1) B. Harper (1) F. Lindor (1) E. Suarez (1)

GAME 3

Brent Suter vs Michael Wacha

The series shifts to Philly, and the Phillies decide to continue the opener strategy.  Suter is lifted after 2/3 of an inning and enter Keith Ginkel to close out the inning.  (That would be the only time that happened…more to come)  The Phillies jumped on Michael Wacha early as Jemar Encarnacion singles home Michael Harris and with the bases loaded Jose Altuve clears them with a double off the wall and the Phillies lead 4-0 after 1.  The Reds score 1 on a Christian Walker double that plated Mookie Betts who had doubled early (spoiler alert Mookie had 4 doubles in this game)  Brandon Marsh hits a two run homer in the bottom of the 2^nd  and Michael Wacha days is done and the Phillies lead 6-1 after 2.

3^rd inning (Evan Phillips)

Red score three of Evan Phillips with two out.  A Ketel Marte single, Bryan Reynolds gets plunked, Mookie doubles them both home and scores on a Eugenio Saurez double and the lead is 6-4 Phillies.  THe Phillies answer back with a two run Brandon Marsh single following a Jose Altuve single and a KeBryan Hayes double.  Phillies lead 8-4

4^th inning (Ryan Yarbrough)

A Ketel Marte two out  double plates 2 runs ( Brenton Doyle and K. Higoshiaki) and the Phillies lead is 8-6.  Phillies don’t score (WTF???)

5^th inning (Ryan Yarbrough)

Mookie Betts leads of the inning with his 3^rd double of the game, scores two batters later on a Brendon Donovan double who scores two batter later on a Brenton Doyle who scores 2 batter later on a Elly Dela Cruz single.  Reds lead 9-8.  That lead is short-lived as Jose Altuve doubles and scores on a KeBryan single.  Score tied 9-9

6^th inning (MacKenzie Gore)

Gore stops the hemorrhaging for now.   Jemar Encarnacion hits a solo shot and the Phillies lead 10-9

7^th inning (MacKenzie Gore)

A tired MacKenzie Gore serves up a two out homerun to Kyle Higoshiaki and the score is tied

8^th inning- 9^th inning (Orion Kerkering & Edwin Diaz)

The Reds continued hitting a Eugenio Suarez two run bomb following a KeBryan Hayes two out error (1e8) gives the Reds a 12-10 lead.  KeBryan gets three hits, scores two runs and drives in 1, but makes the costly error, sound about right)  The Reds score two in the ninth on an Elly Delacruz Homer in the ninth.

The Phillies bats?  They went silent over the last three innings and Robert Suarez and Trevor Megill shut the Phillies down. Reds lead the series 2-1

REDS 14 PHILLIES 10

WP: D. Nunez (1-0) LP: O. Kerkering (0-1)

HR: B. Marsh (1) J. Encarnacion (1) E. Suarez (2) E. Cruz (1) K. Higoshioka (2)

GAME 4

Aaron Nola vs Corbin Burnes

This was the Aaron Nola show.  He went 8 innings allowed 3 hits while striking out 10.  The Phillies offense well Jemar Encarnacion supplied all that Aaron Nola would need with a three run bomb in the third inning.  Edwin Diaz pitched a scoreless ninth.  Series tied at 2

PHILLIES 3 REDS 0

WP: A. Nola (1-1) LP: C. Burnes (0-1) SV: E. Diaz (2)

HR: J. Encarnacion (2)

GAME 5

Orion Kerkering vs Aaron Ashby

The Pivotal Game 5 and the Phillies decided to go back to their opener strategy.  Ketel Marte give the Reds a 1-0 lead in the first inning.  It was short lived as Jose Altuve leads off the bottom of the first with a solo shot of his own.  The score would stay that way as Orion Kerkering went 4 innings and was touched except for the Marte HR.  Enter Kevin Ginkel and the Reds jump all over him scoring two on a Eugenio Suarez double and a Brenton Doyle RBI single that scores Suarez.  Reds lead 3-1.  In the bottom of the sixth Bryce Harper leads off with a double advances to third when Bryan Hoeing bobbles the ball. Harper scores as Jacob Stallings hits in a double play.  Reds lead 3-2. 

Top of the ninth Fernando Cruz strikes out Brenton Doyle and Patrick Bailey.  Elly Dela Cruz walks and Ketel Marte walks and then give the Phillies some of their own medicine and pull over a double steal.  Cruz comes home when Stallings misplays the curve in the dirt and the Reds lead 4-2.  Bottom the ninth Jacob Stallings singles with 1 out.  The next batter Francisco Lindor goes yard off of Robert Suarez and the game is tied at 4.  Onto extra innings. (Free baseball)

Top of the 10^th Casey Schmitt (notorious Phillie killer) homers off of Ryan Yarbrough and the Reds lead 5-4.  Enter Trevor Megill, he gets Bryson Stott to pop out, Jose Altuve grounds out.  Brandon Marsh walks, up steps Bryce Harper.  After a conference on the mound, Megill stays and Bryce doubles to deep center, here comes Marsh around third (1-16) and slides in safe Phillies tied it at 5.  Rafael Marchan is intentionally walked and Corbin Carroll grounds out to Ketel Marte to end the threat.  Onto the 11^th inning we go.  Brenton Doyle singles to lead off then promptly gets caught stealing (1-16) Joey Bart walks, Elly Dela Cruz hits into a fielders choice on first base.  Ketel Marte is intentionally walked to get to Mike Yazstremski.  Ryan Yarbrough strikes him out.  Bottom of the 11^th inning, Michale Harris goes yard and the Phillie Phaithful go home happy.  Phillies lead the series 3-2 and 1 game away from the World Series as the series heads back to Cincy

PHILLIES 6 REDS 5 (11 innings)

WP: R. Yarbrough (1-0) LP: B. Hudson (0-1)

HR: J. Altuve (2) F. Lindor (2) M. Harris (1) K. Marte (1) C. Schmitt (1)

GAME 6

MacKenzie Gore vs Hunter Greene

Hunter Greene strikes out the side in the first inning and MacKenzie Gore matches him and the Game is on!.  The first run came in the fourth inning on a Jacob Stallings two out double that plated Jemar Encarnacion just under the tag (1-17)  He was initially ruled out, but upon review he was safe (Brendon Donovan has a +2 arm and not a +1 arm, of course a 17 was rolled) The Phillies turned this game into a bullpen game (again) Gore lasted two innings, Enter Fernando Cruz followed by Ryan Yarbrough.  A Bryan Reynolds homerun in the bottom of the fifth was the only blemish, but it tied the score at 1.  The score would stay that way as the Phillies relievers of Orion Kerkering and Evan Phillips stymied the Reds batters in the 7^th and 8^th inning.  Top of the 8^th Bryce Harper singles with two outs, Jemar Encarnacion (he was in the middle of everything it seemed) singles Harper over to third.  Jacob Stallings is the batter, enter Robert Suarez to pitch to him.  Jacob crushes it deep to Centerfield (1-17) and its gone.  Phillies lead 4-1.  Edwin Diaz pitches a scoreless bottom of the ninth. 

Pop the corks!!  The Phillies are heading to the World Series for the 2^nd straight year and 14^th one overall (5-8 record)

PHILLIES 4 REDS 1

WP: R. Yarbrough (2-0) LP: H. Greene (0-2) SV: E. Diaz (3)

HR: J. Stallings (1) B. Reynolds (1)

OTHER NOTES:

***  The Phillies scored 30 runs. The Reds scored 27 runs. 

***  The Phillies outhomered the Reds 10-9

***  Hunter Greene deserved a better fate.  He pitched 13 2/3 Innings allowed 10 hits , struck out 13 and had a 3.29 ERA but went 0-2

*** Eugenio Suarez went 7-23 (.304) 2 HR’s with 8 RBI’s