*Photo from 6ABC*
Philadelphia wins series 2-0
Bryson Stott blacked out. He hit the ball, and he doesn't remember what happened next. The bat slam, the run around the bases, it's all a blur. Regardless, it was the hit that broke open the game and propelled his squad to the win.
Stott's grand slam gave the Phillies all the cushion they would need, beating the Miami Marlins 7-1 at home to sweep the wild card series and punch their ticket to the NLDS. Stott's bat slam followed in the footsteps of Rhys Hoskins, who had the same celebration in last year's postseason.
After falling short in the World Series last season, the Phillies are intent on that not happening again. Over both games against the Marlins, they outscored their division rival 11-2 for a convincing sweep. They want what eluded them last year.
Phillies catcher JT Realmuto said that "We feel like this is what this team is built for. We’re built for postseason success. With the run that we went on last year, all that did was give us even more confidence that we have what it takes to get it done. Obviously, we’re going up against a really good team in Atlanta, but we’re confident in the guys in this clubhouse. It should be a lot of fun."
Kyle Schwarber got the Phillies on the board in the 3rd inning, hitting an RBI double that scored Cristian Pache to make it 1-0. Schwarber then scored on an RBI single by Trea Turner to make it a 2-0 lead. In the 4th inning, Realmuto added to the lead even more, making it a 3-0 game with a solo home run to left field.
In the 6th inning, Stott did his thing. He got all of the first pitch from Andrew Nardi, blasting a grand slam to make it a 7-0 lead for the Phillies. Josh Bell broke up the shutout in the 9th, getting the Marlins a run with an RBI single, making it a 7-1 final score.
Aaron Nola got the start for the Phillies and delivered a gem, pitching 7 shutout innings, allowing 3 hits and a walk with 3 strikeouts. Orion Kerkering pitched a scoreless 8th inning, while Gregory Soto did the same in the 9th to seal the sweep.
Phillies manager Rob Thomson said of Nola that "He went through a lot this year because he struggled at times and there were the home runs and the big innings and things like that, but he just kept grinding and he kept fighting, kept working. Finally, he found some stuff at the end of the year, and he’s been lights out."
Braxton Garrett allowed two runs in 3 innings pitched for the Marlins. David Robertson allowed two runs in two innings, while Nardi was charged with 3 in 1 1/3 innings. JT Chargois worked 2/3 of an inning before Tanner Scott pitched one inning.
After the game, Bell said of the Marlins outlook that "I think with our pitching staff and with our bullpen, the guys coming up through the Minors, the guys that are going to be healthy next year, it seems like it's sustainable. Just have to stay healthy. That's the most important thing across any roster, across the league. But I'm really excited to see what this group does in the future. A lot to be hopeful for."
The Phillies advance to the NLDS, where a rematch of last year's NLDS with the Atlanta Braves awaits, beginning on Saturday. The Marlins head into the offseason with just the second playoff series loss in franchise history.
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