The Philadelphia Phillies have made history by winning their first Game 7 in the 141-year history of the franchise. They defeated the Arizona Diamondbacks 6-3 on Tuesday night at Citizens Bank Park to clinch the National League pennant and advance to the World Series for the second consecutive year.
Wheeler shines in relief, Schwarber homers twice
The Phillies used a combination of timely hitting and stellar pitching to overcome the resilient Diamondbacks, who had forced a decisive game after trailing 3-1 in the series. The Phillies’ ace Zack Wheeler, who had started Game 5 on Saturday, came out of the bullpen to pitch three scoreless innings and earn the win. He struck out four batters and allowed only one hit, silencing the D-backs’ offense.
The Phillies’ offense was led by Kyle Schwarber, who hit two home runs and drove in four runs. He hit a solo shot in the first inning off Brandon Pfaadt, who lasted only 2.1 innings and gave up three runs. Schwarber added a three-run blast in the fifth inning off Taylor Widener, giving the Phillies a 6-1 lead. Schwarber now has six home runs and 14 RBIs in the postseason, both leading the majors.
D-backs rally late, but fall short
The Diamondbacks did not go down without a fight, as they scored two runs in the seventh inning off José Alvarado, who walked three batters and hit another. Tim David hit a sacrifice fly and Carson Kelly drew a bases-loaded walk to cut the deficit to 6-3. However, Héctor Neris came in to end the threat by striking out Josh Rojas.
The D-backs had one more chance in the ninth inning, as they put two runners on base against Ian Kennedy, who was trying to close out the game. But Kennedy got David to ground into a double play and then struck out Kelly to seal the victory and spark a wild celebration on the field and in the stands.
Phillies return to World Series, face Yankees
The Phillies will now face the New York Yankees in the World Series, which will begin on Friday at Yankee Stadium. The Yankees won the American League pennant by beating the Houston Astros in six games. This will be a rematch of the 2009 World Series, which the Yankees won in six games over the Phillies.
The Phillies will try to win their third World Series title in franchise history, and their first since 2008. They will also try to become the first NL team to repeat as champions since the Cincinnati Reds in 1975-76. The Yankees will try to win their 28th World Series title, and their first since 2009.
