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.
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