PHILADELPHIA — Back-to-back home runs from Tommy Pham and Lourdes Gurriel Jr. in the second and a solid outing from Merrill Kelly helped propel the Arizona Diamondbacks to a 5-1 win over the Philadelphia Phillies Monday night and force a Game 7 in the NL Championship Series.
The winner of Tuesday night’s game advances to the World Series to face the Texas Rangers, who disposed of the Houston Astros 11-4 in Game 7 of the AL Championship on Monday night.
Arizona came out ready from the get-go, as Pham and Gurriel Jr. got things going with a pair of long balls to begin the second. After Alek Thomas walked. Evan Longoria followed up with a double to left field to drive in Thomas in and push the Diamondbacks lead to 3-0.
Then in the fifth, Kelly retired Kyle Schwarber, Trea Turner and Bryce Harper in order, helping the Diamondbacks hold onto a 4-1 lead.
As Kelly walked to the dugout, his manager Torey Lovullo told the right-hander he was done. Kelly, who had thrown 90 pitches, appeared to be unhappy about the decision, gesturing with his glove as if to point out he had just struck out the heart of the Phillies lineup and had more in the tank.
Kelly finished the night surrendering just one earned run on three hits and struck out eight batters.
Arizona's bullpen did their job, as four relievers combined to allow only three hits and shut down the Phillies the rest of the way.
The Phillies sent Aaron Nola to the mound — who had been virtually lights out in every postseason start. He was 3-0 with a 0.96 ERA in October.
But tonight wasn't going to be his night, as he gave up homers to Pham and Gurriel that nearly landed in the same spots in the left field seats.
Philadelphia had never trailed by more than two runs in the postseason until the second.
Kelly managed to pitch his way out of some trouble in the first inning. After putting two runners on, he struck out slumping Alec Bohm and retired Bryson Stott on a shallow flyout.
Then in the bottom of the second, Kelly gave up an RBI single to Brandon Marsh and put two on with two outs. But he then got Turner to swing at three pitches out of the zone to end the threat.
Ketel Marte extended his postseason hitting streak to 15 games with a RBI triple in the fifth to help build a 4-1 lead and chase Nola off. He later added an RBI single in the seventh off Orion Kerkering.
Right hander Brandon Pfaadt will start for Arizona in what will be the first Game 7 in Philadelphia franchise history.
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