Phillies rout Diamondbacks to take 2-0 lead in NLCS

PHILADELPHIA — Nuanced as baseball can be, Trea Turner knows there is a most uncomplicated explanation for the Phillies’ recent offensive success.

“We’re not scared,” he said, “to swing the bat.”

Often helps.

So it was Tuesday when the power-tripping Phillies swung to a 10-0 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks and early command of the NLCS.

With Kyle Schwarber clubbing two home runs and Turner adding another to add to their record-nearing pile, the Phils took a 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven to the screaming delight of 45,412 in Citizens Bank Park. The next three games are scheduled for Arizona, beginning Thursday evening at 5:07, Ranger Suarez drawing the start.

Turner hit a solo home run in the first and Schwarber matched it in the third, and that was sufficient support for Aaron Nola, who continues to present a strong case for a massive new contract before he has a chance to bolt for free agency.

Complementing Zack Wheeler’s Game 1 effort, Nola worked six innings, allowing three hits and striking out seven.

“They were both outstanding,” said Arizona manager Torey Luvollo. “To get to where we have to go, we have to find a way to beat these guys. I just felt like we were missing some pitches that were drivable. We had a plan. We definitely had a plan against (Nola), but he made pitches, and we couldn’t counter.”

For the postseason, Phillies starters have allowed eight earned runs in 46.1 innings. To borrow Turner’s word, they have not looked scared, either.

“I haven’t heard one guy talk about pressure,” Nola said. “I feel like we don’t really think of it as pressure, right? Each game is so big and matters so much. That’s kind of what we focus on, is one game at a time. Everything is so heightened in the playoffs obviously, so I feel like being in the moment.  Once the moment kind of takes over, everything else you kind of put aside.”

Jeff Hoffman worked the seventh, Matt Strahm the eighth and Orion Kerkering the ninth to complete the shutout.

The Phillies have hit 19 home runs in their eight postseason games, which included 11 in the second round against Atlanta, tying an NLDS record.

“We chase a little bit, and we do things that may not be perfect,” Turner said. “But we want to hit. I think when you are aggressive in a good way and you’ve got guys that are confident in themselves, you’re going to get swings. You’re going to get homers. You’re going to get doubles.

“We’re not up there to walk. We’re up there to hit. If we walk, we walk. We have to pass the baton to the next guy. But I just think it kind of speaks to the guys we have in our lineup.”

That showed in the bat-around sixth, which the Phillies opened with Schwarber’s second home run and third in two days and finished with reliever Joe Mantiply replacing starter Merrill Kelly with two out and Turner on first and multiplying Arizona’s problems. The left-hander allowed a single to Bryson Stott, a two-run double into the gap by J.T. Realmuto, and a run-scoring sizzler down the third-base line by Brandon Marsh.

“Well, we have a really good lineup, and it’s a long lineup,” Rob Thomson said. “We’re swinging bats really well right now. But offense comes and goes. We have to stay on it.”

The Phillies added to the landslide in the seventh when Alec Bohm smacked a two-run double into the left-center gap, Realmuto added an RBI single and Nick Castellanos delivered a sacrifice fly RBI.

Turner’s 421-foot homer to left came on an 0-1 pitch from Kelly and restored some early order after his fielding error allowed leadoff hitter Corbin Carroll to reach first. Thus continued what has been a challenging, puzzling season of defensive inconsistency from the otherwise valuable shortstop.

“Well, this year not so much,” he conceded. “But, yeah, I think you evolve. I think I can always get better at a lot of things. I’m kind of a little bit of a perfectionist. Where, you know, you make errors, and they’re errors for a reason, but you’re, like, ‘Ah, I can make that play, I can make this play.’

“For me, it’s more taking pride in getting outs for your pitchers. That’s where I feel the most responsibility.”

The Phillies – and in particular, Bohm, who supplied three highlight defensive plays – supported Nola just enough on a night when Kelly seemed rattled less by the crowd than by the noise resonating from the Phillies’ lumber. After he was heard to mention that the Phillies’ fans were less throaty than Venezuela’s supporters at the World Baseball Classic, Kelly pitched a respectable 5.2 innings and allowing three hits – all of them home runs

“I don’t know what ‘decibels’ mean,” Turner, a friend of Kelly, said with a smile beforehand. “But I guess we did something cool on the AC/DC concert level decibel the other night. I would just wait and see and we’ll see what he says after the game.”