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Zack Wheeler’s gem, solo homers power Phils to Game 1 NLCS win

Zack Wheeler hurled a gem in Game 1 of the NLCS. (David J. Griffin/Icon Sportswire)

FINAL: Phillies 2, Padres 0

On a slow offensive night in Game 1 of the National League Championship Series, the Phillies cashed in on two crucial swings. Facing off against Padres starter Yu Darvish, Bryce Harper and Kyle Schwarber launched solo home runs to put Philadelphia ahead.

Then Phillies ace Zack Wheeler and company took care of the rest.

The right-hander tossed seven innings of one-hit baseball on Tuesday night at Petco Park as the Phillies limited the Padres to one hit in a 2-0 shutout victory to start the series.

Wheeler and Darvish were in control early as the starting pitchers allowed a combined one hit through the third inning.

After Darvish cruised through the first three, Phillies star Bryce Harper started the scoring with a opposite-field start to take a 1-0 lead in the fourth.

With Darvish still pitching in the seventh, Schwarber added the exclamation in a low-scoring game. The slumping left-handed hitter broke out in a huge way, as he demolished a 488-foot bomb into the second deck in right field, giving the Phillies a 2-0 lead.

Wheeler continued his tremendous outing through the seventh, handing it over to flamethrower Seranthony Domínguez for the eighth. Domínguez threw an easy 1-2-3 inning on nine pitches.

Lefty José Alvarado entered for the Phillies in the ninth. Third baseman Alec Bohm botched the throw on a potential game-ending double play with one out, allowing the winning run to come to the plate. But Alvarado, who’s emerged as one of the team’s most reliable relievers this fall, secured the two outs on a flyout and strikeout to finish off San Diego.

Shibe Vintage Sports Starting Pitching Performance

After a 24-pitch first frame, Wheeler locked in for the rest of his seven-inning outing as he struck out eight Padres batters. The righty did not surrender a hit until the fifth inning in an efficient start to open the series.
Darvish looked sharp in Tuesday’s series opener — outside of two consequential at-bats. He racked up looking strikeouts on his way to seven total, but he allowed the two solo shots in his seven innings to derail the outing.

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