World Series Game 6: Phillies Dream Run Ends, Houston Astros Win the World Series

11/05/202211/06/2022 ~ Michael Lipinski ~ Leave a comment

The Philadelphia Phillies improbable run to the World Series has come to an end. The Houston Astros defeated the Phillies in World Series Game 6 by a score of 4-1 to win their second World Championship in 5-years.

Yordan Alvarez’s 3-run home run in the 6th inning turned out to be the game winner.

Both starters engaged in a classic pitches duel.

The Phillies struck first in the 6th on a solo home run from Kyle Schwarber off of Astros’ starter Framber Valdez.

It looked like that’s all the Phillies would need as Zack Wheeler was dealing through five. Things unraveled for the Phillies in the bottom of the 6th inning.

Wheeler hit Astros catcher Martin Maldonado, who may or may not have leaned into the pitch, to start the inning. After a groundout by Jose Altuve and a single by Jeremy Peña, Phillies manager Rob Thomson pulled Wheeler after just 70-pitches.

The move proved to arguably be Thomson’s first —and biggest— mistake as Phils manager.

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World Series Game 5: Astros Edge Phillies 3-2, Take 3-2 Series Lead

11/03/202211/04/2022 ~ Michael Lipinski ~ Leave a comment

The Houston Astros defeated the Philadelphia Phillies 2-1 on Thursday night to take a 3-2 series lead. The World Series will shift back to Houston on Saturday night with the Phillies facing elimination.

Houston took a 1-0 lead two batters into the game when Jeremy Peña drove in Jose Altuve with a single off Noah Syndergaard. Syndergaard was able to hold the Astros to the one run in the inning.

Philadelphia punched back when Kyle Schwarber homered off Justin Verlander to lead off the Phillies half of the inning.

That would be all the Phillies could muster until the 8th.

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World Series Game 4: Houston Astros Throw a Combined No-Hitter to Even the World Series

11/02/202211/02/2022 ~ Michael Lipinski ~ 2 Comments

Houston Astros starter Cristian Javier threw six no-hit innings and the Astros bullpen— Bryan Abreu, Rafael Montero, and Ryan Pressly —held the Phillies hitless over the final three innings for the first postseason no hitter since Roy Halladay’s 2010 no hitter. It was the third no-hitter in postseason history. The Astros offense provided 5-runs of support en route to a 5-0 World Series Game 4 victory.

The Astros win ties the series at two games apiece and ensures the World Series returns to Houston.

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World Series Game 3: Phillies Blast Astros into Orbit, Win 7-0

11/01/202211/01/2022 ~ Michael Lipinski ~ 1 Comment

The Philadelphia Phillies used the long ball —five of them to be exact— en route to a 7-0 shellacking of the Houston Astros in World Series Game 3. The win gives the Fightin’s a 2-1 series lead and puts them two wins away from a World Championship.

Bryce Harper got the party started for the Phillies in the bottom of the 1st inning depositing a Lance McCullers Jr., pitch deep into the right field seats for a 2-run home run. From there the hit parade was on.

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World Series Game 2: Houston Astros Win 5-2, Series Tied 1-1

10/29/202210/30/2022 ~ Michael Lipinski ~ Leave a comment

The Houston Astros scored 3-runs in the first inning off Phillies starter Zack Wheeler and rode 6.1 1-run innings from Framber Valdez en route to a a 5-2 victory in World Series Game 2. The Astros win tied the series at one-game apiece.

The Astros jumped on Wheeler with three doubles in the first four pitches of the game to quickly take a 2-0 lead. A throwing error by Edmundo Sosa —Rhys Hoskins should’ve picked it— allowed another run to score to make it 3-0 ‘Stros.

That was all Houston’s Valdez would need. The crafty lefty threw 6.1 innings of one run baseball. The 28-year old allowed one run on 4-hits with 3 BBs and 9 Ks. The Phils simply didn’t have an answer for the off speed heavy hurler.

For the Phillies, Wheeler was inconsistent and struggled to find the zone. He seemed to be settling down before allowing a 2-run homer to Alex Bregman.

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World Series Game 1: Phillies Erase a 5-0 Deficit, Win 6-5 in Extras

10/28/202210/29/2022 ~ Michael Lipinski ~ 3 Comments

Unbelievable.

The Philadelphia Phillies defeated the Houston Astros 6-5 in extra innings to take World Series Game 1 and hand Houston their first postseason loss.

Oh by the way, the Phillies trailed 5-0 after the 3rd and they were facing Justin Verlander who was perfect to that point.

Phillies starter Aaron Nola scuffled through 4.1 innings allowing 5-earned run, four off of the bat of Houston’s Kyle Tucker.

Tucker hit a solo homered in the 2nd to open the scoring. Astros catcher Martin Maldonado added an RBI single to make it 2-0 ‘Stros. Tucker added a monster 3-run homer in the 3rd to make it 5-0 Houston.

The Phillies, as they’ve done all postseason, began to chip away.

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NLCS Game 5: Phillies Win the NL Pennant! Return to the World Series For First Time Since 2009

10/23/202210/23/2022 ~ Michael Lipinski ~ 1 Comment

Let the chaos begin at Cottman and Frankford!

The Philadelphia Phillies have won the National League Pennant and are going back to the World Series for the first time in 13-years.

The 2022 Phillies —who fired their manager and lost their superstar in June—overcame multiple deficits this postseason, and once again overcame the odds on Sunday afternoon. The Fightin’s defeated the San Diego Padres 4-3 on an 8th inning Bryce Harper home run to clinch their first NL Pennant since 2009.

BRYCE HARPER IS A PHILADELPHIA PHILLIE pic.twitter.com/UjLTijwIqe
— Philadelphia Phillies (@Phillies) October 23, 2022

(Try to) Climb those poles Philadelphia! Safely, of course!

More Soon….

NLCS Game 4: Phillies Shock the Padres 10-6, One Win Away from the NL Pennant

10/22/202210/23/2022 ~ Michael Lipinski ~ Leave a comment

The Philadelphia Phillies overcame multiple deficits –including 4-runs before even batting– to defeat the San Diego Padres 10-6 on Saturday night to take a 3-to-1 series lead. The Phillies can clinch their first trip to the World Series since 2009 with a win on Sunday afternoon in South Philly.

Now, about that recap. If you had the following on your Postseason bingo card you can collect your prize money:

Both starters don’t make it out of the 1st inning
A combined 7-runs are scored in the 1st inning
13 total pitchers
Six home runs
3.1 shutdown innings from Connor Brogdon and Andrew Bellatti
Two homers from Rhys Hoskins
Three shutdown innings from Noah Syndergaard and David Robertson

If you want a full, traditional recap you can read it here.

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NLCS Game 3: Phillies Edge San Diego 4-2, Take a 2-1 Series Lead

10/21/202210/22/2022 ~ Michael Lipinski ~ Leave a comment

The Philadelphia Phillies used timely hitting and solid pitching to defeat the San Diego Padres 4-2 in Game 3 of the NLCS. The win gives Philadelphia a 2-1 series lead.

Philadelphia started the scoring early, literally. Kyle Schwarber led of the game for the Phillies and put one into the right-center seats. One batter, 1-0 Phillies. The Phils threatend to add more in the 1st but a timely double play was able to help Padres’ starter Joe Musgrove limit the damage.

From there things got, well, weird.

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NLCS Game 2: Aaron Nola Blows a 4-Run Lead, Series Tied One Game Each

10/19/202210/22/2022 ~ Michael Lipinski ~ Leave a comment

The San Diego Padres scored eight unanswered runs —including five in the 5th— to blowout the Philadelphia Phillies 8-4 in NLCS Game 2. The series will shift to Philadelphia tied at one win apiece.

The Phillies took the lead early with four runs in the 2nd inning against Padres starter Blake Snell.

Bryce Harper, Nick Castellanos, and Alec Bohm singled back-to-back-to-back to start the inning. Bohm’s single scored Harper to open the scoring. A series of outfield gaffs by the Padres allowed Matt Vierling and Edmundo Sosa to reach and drive in a run each. Kyle Schwarber added a run with an RBI groundout before Rhys Hoskins flew out to end the inning.

Just like that the Phillies were up 4-0 with one of their top pitchers on the mound.

However, Nola wasn’t as effective as he had been the past month or so. Nola immediately allowed the Padres to get back in the game. He allowed back-to-back homers to Brandon Drury and Josh Bell, respectively.

Nola completely unraveled in the 5th allowing four runs to score and coughing up the lead. Ha-Seong Kim led off the inning with a single and scored on a beautifully executed hit-and-run with Austin Nola at the plate. Juan Soto followed with a double to right to tie the ball game at 4-4. Nola struck out Manny Machado for the second out of the inning. The Phils’ starter was lifted for Brand Hand to face lefty Jake Cronenworth, whom he promplty hit. Hand then allowed back-to-back singles to Drury and Bell to extend the Padres lead to 7-4.

Just like that the damage was done.

The Padres added an insurance run on 7th inning home run by Machado to make it 8-4.

Hoskins led off the 8th with a solo home run to bring the Phils within three at 8-5, but the Padres pen was too much. Josh Hader shut the Phils down in the 9th to close out the win for San Diego.