LCS Saturday: Both Phillies and Astros one game from World Series (2024)

ESPN

Oct 23, 2022, 03:22 AM

The 2022 MLB playoffs are down to just four teams, each vying for a spot in this year's World Series.

The American League Championship Series shifted to the Bronx for Game 3 but saw similar results as the Houston Astros pushed the New York Yankees to the brink of elimination with a 5-0 win on Saturday.

After splitting the opening two games in San Diego, the Philadelphia Phillies have taken both home games over the San Diego Padres. Game 4 on Saturday started wildly with both teams combining for seven runs in the first inning. The game remained back and forth until the Phillies unleashed the big bats and broke it open with a four-run fifth inning.

More: Who has the NLCS edge? Predictions for Padres-Phillies | Who will rule the ALCS? Predictions for Yankees-Astros | Bracket, results and more

Houston Astros 5, New York Yankees 0

Astros lead series 3-0

Game 3 takeaways

The Astros are a monster juggernaut that looks hard to stop. The depth of Houston's rotation shined on Saturday night when Cristian Javier shut down the Yankees' lineup over the course of 5⅓ innings, allowing just one hit while walking three and striking out five. Houston saw contributions from up and down the lineup, with the totality of the Astros' RBIs coming from their bottom three hitters: Trey Mancini, Christian Vazquez and Chas McCormick, who started the scoring with a two-run homer in the second inning, capitalizing off an outfield error that resulted from a miscommunication.

Astros piling on

After Mancini hit a sacrifice fly to bring in Alex Bregman, Christian Vazquez singled in two more runs. According to ESPN Stats & Information research, Houston has never lost a postseason game in which it scored five or more runs.

THIS train keeps rolling. pic.twitter.com/xOYlI0FMT4
— Houston Astros (@astros) October 22, 2022

Yuli was FLYING around the bases! #postseason pic.twitter.com/6znf8F8sLB
— MLB (@MLB) October 22, 2022

Yankees starter Gerrit Cole Gerrit Cole exited after allowing five runs, which is tied for the most he has ever allowed in a postseason appearance.

Yankees blunder leads to Astros home run

After a miscommunication by Yankees outfielders Aaron Judge and Harrison Bader allowed Christian Vazquez on base, Chas McCormick launched a two-run shot to put Houston on the board first. It's McCormick's second home run of the series.

Chas off the top of the wall! #Postseason pic.twitter.com/XvRNJR4V28
— MLB (@MLB) October 22, 2022

Arrivals

📍 Yankee Stadium#RepBX pic.twitter.com/mtq62kBymQ
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) October 22, 2022

Who brought the drip? pic.twitter.com/AYqEdFFKSY
— Houston Astros (@astros) October 22, 2022

Yordan and the @astros are ready for Game 3 in the Bronx! 😎 #Postseason pic.twitter.com/GMJinEQOcA
— MLB (@MLB) October 22, 2022

Philadelphia Phillies 10, San Diego Padres 6

Phillies lead series 3-1

Game 4 takeaways

A 4-0 deficit in a playoff game usually feels like the end of the story, especially in this 2022 postseason when runs have been scarce. But the good news for the Phillies: They had nine innings to make up that deficit after the Padres scored four in the top of the first -- and a star-studded lineup to mash baseballs. And boy did they mash. Bryce Harper, Kyle Schwarber, J.T. Realmuto and Nick Castellanos -- all free agents who have been part of the Phillies' spending spree in recent years -- each delivered at least two hits or scored at least two runs. Schwarber and Realmuto both homered and Harper drilled two doubles.

But it was the homegrown kid who delivered the two biggest hits of the night. Rhys Hoskins hit a two-run homer in the bottom of the first off Mike Clevinger to quickly make it 4-2 as fans were still recovering from that disastrous top of the first and then tied the score at 6 with a two-run, 417-foot, fifth-inning homer off Sean Manaea -- merely tossing his bat up in the air this time rather than slamming it into the ground as he did earlier this postseason.

The curious thing about the home run: Why Padres manager Bob Melvin had the left-handed Manaea in the game to face the right-handed Hoskins. Manaea had struggled in the second half with a 6.44 ERA, was bumped from the playoff rotation and was making his first appearance of the postseason. The Padres had a rested bullpen. While it made some sense to use Manaea to start the fifth against the left-handed Brandon Marsh and Schwarber, as soon Manaea walked Schwarber he should have been out of the game with Hoskins and Realmuto due up. Instead, a struggling pitcher -- rather than one of the Padres' flame-throwing relievers -- was left in to face the heart of the Phillies' order.

Hoskins homered, Realmuto walked and Harper laced the go-ahead double to left-center to drive in Realmuto for the go-ahead run. Only then did Melvin finally take out Manaea. In this era when managers now manage with the utmost of urgency, it was a curious lack of urgency. Schwarber and Realmuto would add insurance home runs. Yes, the Padres aren't done, but they face elimination on Sunday with Zack Wheeler going for the Phillies - coming off his brilliant seven-inning, one-hit effort in Game 1. This series might not make it back to San Diego. -- David Schoenfield

Realmuto adds to the lead

BEST. CATCHER. IN. BASEBALL. pic.twitter.com/uOgwIqjkkP
— Philadelphia Phillies (@Phillies) October 23, 2022

Schwarber does it again

GREAT JOB KYLE pic.twitter.com/NLHUf99miQ
— Philadelphia Phillies (@Phillies) October 23, 2022

112.5 mph. 429 ft https://t.co/ejUOmniuLS
— Jesse Rogers (@JesseRogersESPN) October 23, 2022

Hoskins and Harper, oh my

RHYS RHYS RHYS RHYS RHYS RHYS pic.twitter.com/WxDey3P70C
— Philadelphia Phillies (@Phillies) October 23, 2022

BRYCE GIVES US THE LEAD!!!!!!!
— Philadelphia Phillies (@Phillies) October 23, 2022

THERE'S A REASON HE'S THE MV3 pic.twitter.com/nktsUr6sMf
— Philadelphia Phillies (@Phillies) October 23, 2022

Soto goes deep

That ball is JUAN GONE 💣 #CaptureTheMoment pic.twitter.com/KxR7ui2hFi
— San Diego Padres (@Padres) October 23, 2022

Juan Soto with his first of the postseason. Phillies had stormed back to tie it 4-4 but now 6-4 Pads. Top 5
— Jesse Rogers (@JesseRogersESPN) October 23, 2022

Phillies tie it up

The @Phillies tie it up at 4 in the 4th! #postseason pic.twitter.com/aWEPFbBD9S
— MLB (@MLB) October 23, 2022

Say it with us now: You can't hit it to the Crone Zone 😤 #CaptureTheMoment pic.twitter.com/QasYlLZl1W
— San Diego Padres (@Padres) October 23, 2022

What a start

It was a wild first inning in Game 4 between the Phillies and Padres as both starting pitchers were pulled for just the second time in postseason history.

Phillies lefty Bailey Falter gave up four runs in the top of the inning while getting just two outs while Padres righty Mike Clevinger was sent to the showers in the bottom of the first without getting anyone out. The result was a combined, seven run inning with the Padres coming out on top, 4-3.

It was the first time both starters were pulled that early in a playoff game since Game 4 of the 1932 World Series. -- Jesse Rogers

The Big Fella#RingTheBell pic.twitter.com/nyMBzXpdhd
— Philadelphia Phillies (@Phillies) October 23, 2022

MV3 is at it again pic.twitter.com/qW4OpWSPp9
— Philadelphia Phillies (@Phillies) October 23, 2022

Padres add to their lead

Brandon Drury doubled in Josh Bell and Jake Cronenworth, increasing the Padres' lead to three.

Double Drury Duty 🫡 #CaptureTheMoment pic.twitter.com/KhwMFmrMsr
— San Diego Padres (@Padres) October 23, 2022

Manny mashes one

Manny Machado opens the scoring in Game 4 with a 379-foot solo dinger in the top of the first. According to ESPN Stats & Information, it's his sixth postseason home run as a Padre, passing Ken Caminiti for the most career playoff homers in franchise history.

Manny's gonna cruise, that's what's in. #postseason pic.twitter.com/Eh1fnqJe5z
— MLB (@MLB) October 22, 2022

Arrivals

Back in the office pic.twitter.com/Sn5ClDtvb7
— Philadelphia Phillies (@Phillies) October 22, 2022