The oft-maligned Philadelphia Phillies outfielder Nick Castellanos went 3-for-4 with one double and 3 RBIs on Tuesday afternoon to lead the Phils to a 7-3 NLDS game one victory over the Atlanta Braves.
The Phillies opened the scoring in the bottom of the first plating two runs against Braves starter Max Fried. Both runs came with two outs in the inning. Castellanos drove in JT Realmuto with an RBI single and Alec Bohm followed with an RBI single of his own.
The Braves answered in the second against Phillies stater Ranger Suarez. Former Phillies farm hand Travis d’Arnaud —traded in 2009 for Roy Halladay— hit a solo homer to get the Bravos on the board.
The Phillies used more two out magic in the third against Fried to add two more runs to the ledger. Bohm added an RBI with a sacrifice fly and Jean Segura followed win an RBI single of his own.
The scoring didn’t stop there.
The Phillies chased Fried in the fourth after Braves pitcher walked Edmundo Sosa and allowed a double to Rhys Hoskins. The Braves turned to Jesse Chavez who gave up a two-run double to the now red hot Castellanos.
Neither stater made it out of the fourth inning. Suarez was replaced after going 3.1 IP allowing 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 5 BB, and 5 Ks. The lefty threw 86-pitches and was unable to find the zone.
The Phillies picked up Suarez in the fifth on a sacrifice fly from Sosa to give the Fightin’s a 7-1 lead.
Connor Brogdon allowed a walk to Matt Olson and a double to William Contreras and two-run double to d’Arnaud to start the Braves’ fifth and make it 7-4 Phils.
Brad Hand, Seranthony Dominguez, and Jose Alverado came in to retire eleven straight Atlanta batters through the eight.
The Braves didn’t go quietly in the ninth against Phillies closer Zach Elfin.
Elfin allowed back-to-back hits to Ronald Acuna Jr., and Dansby Swanson to start the inning. The Braves first hit since the fifth against Brogdon. Austin Riley followed with a strikeout.
Enter Matt Olson.
The Braves first baseman crushed a three-run homer to dead centerfield to bring Atlanta within one run, 7-6.
Enter —once again— Nick Castellanos.
Castellanos made a tremendous, game saving diving catch on Contreras for the second out of the inning.
Perhaps even a season saving catch. Whew.
Elfin was able to get d’Arnaud to ground out softly to short to end the game.
The win gives the Phillies a 1-0 series lead heading into tomorrow afternoon’s game two. The Phillies will turn to Zack Wheeler while the Braves will counter with Kyle Wright.
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