Stud: Kyle Schwarber
As great as Nola was, he still needed some run support. Fortunately for him, Kyle Schwarber was happy to oblige.
The big slugger finally broke out of his playoff funk in Game 1, going 1-for-4 with a solo homer. That was a sign of things to come, as he followed it up with two more long balls on Tuesday.
Schwarber grounded out against Merrill Kelly in his first at-bat, but he got his revenge with a solo homer in the third. It was a big run at the time, extending Philly's lead to 2-0 and giving Nola some extra breathing room. It also set a postseason record for most home runs by a team (14) during a four-game span in the playoffs.
With 2 HR tonight, Kyle Schwarber now has 18 career HR in the postseason.
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) October 18, 2023
That ties Reggie Jackson for the most by a left-handed hitter in MLB postseason history. pic.twitter.com/mm1iQIe29Q
Well, there was still plenty of time to add to that record, and that's exactly what Schwarber did in his next at-bat. He walloped another solo homer off Kelly to lead off the top of the sixth. That sparked a four-run frame for the Phillies that put the game out of reach.
Schwarber walked in his next (and final) at-bat, probably because Arizona was too scared to pitch to him by that point.