GAME SEVEN: For the first time since 2020, the NLCS will have a Game 7 as the Phillies and D-Backs face off tonight with a trip to the World Series on the line. It will be the 21st LCS overall to go seven games since this best-of-seven format was introduced in 1985…it’ll be the 12th NLCS to go a full seven games and first since the Braves and Dodgers went seven games in the 2020 NLCS. This year marks the fourth time both LCS series will go seven games since going to the best-of-seven game format in 1985…the other three years it happened were 2003, 2004 and 2020. In a best-of-seven series, teams that have won Game 6 to force a Game 7 have come out on top in that winner-take-all contest 34-of-60 times (56.7%). True home teams (excluding 2020) are 60-64 all-time in winner-take-all postseason games. Teams that score first in winner-take-all Postseason games are 82-47.
PHILS TRYING TO GO BACK-TO-BACK: The Phillies can punch their ticket to the World Series for a ninth time in franchise history (and a second consecutive season) with a victory tonight. Philadelphia has only reached the World Series in consecutive years one other time in franchise history (2008 and 2009). The Phils are attempting to become the fourth NL team in the Wild Card-era to clinch consecutive National League pennants…the other three are the 2017-18 Dodgers, the 2008-09 Phillies and the 1995-96 Braves. Philadelphia has punched its ticket to the World Series at home in LCS play four times: 1983, 1993, 2009 and 2022. Tonight marks the first Game 7 in a playoff series of any kind for the Phillies. Tonight’s game also marks the Phillies fourth winner-take-all Postseason game in team history and first since Game 5 of the 2011 NLDS vs. St. Louis…two of the previous three have come here at home (both losses)..
SLITHER TO THE SERIES: Arizona can punch its ticket to the World Series with a win in tonight’s game. The D-Backs are trying to reach their second World Series in franchise history with their only other appearance coming when they won the World Series back in 2001…they bested the Yankees in seven games in that World Series. Tonight’s Game 7 is the second in D-Backs Postseason history…the other was when they won Game 7 of the 2001 World Series with a walk-off single from Luis González to defeat the Yankees. Arizona is 3-1 in its four prior winner-take-all Postseason games…they last played in such a game on October 4, 2017 when they hosted the Colorado Rockies in the one-game NL Wild Card Game (an 11-8 D-Backs win) (see chart above). The D-Backs lone loss in a winner-take-all Postseason game occurred on the road (2011 NLDS Game 5 at Milwaukee) with a 3-2 loss in 10 innings.
KEEP THE KETEL ON: Ketel Marte had two more hits last night to run his hitting streak to begin his Postseason career to 15 games, tied for the longest such streak in MLB Postseason history. Atlanta’s Marquis Grissom also hit safely in his first 15 games from 1995-96. Marte’s 15-game hitting streak is tied for the sixth-longest in Postseason history overall.
This Postseason, Marte is hitting .375 (18-for-48) with four doubles, one triple, two homers, seven RBI and six runs scored while sporting a 1.025 OPS.
His 18 hits this Postseason are second-most by a D-Backs player in a single Postseason behind Steve Finley’s 19 hits in the 2001 Postseason.
Marte’s 25 career Postseason hits are also second-most by a D-Backs player all-time, one behind Steve Finley’s 26 Postseason hits from 1999-2002.
CITIZENS BANK SPARK: The Phillies are 28-12 (.700) at this facility since it opened in 2007 during the Postseason, the best winning % in the Postseason of any team at any facility (min. 20 Postseason games).
All-Time Postseason Home Win % By Ballpark (min. 20g)
Team Home Stadium Record (Win. %)
Philadelphia Phillies Citizens Bank Park 28-12 (.700)
New York Mets Shea Stadium 26-13 (.667)
St. Louis Cardinals Busch Stadium III 35-18 (.660)
Arizona Diamondbacks Chase Field 16-9 (.640)
The Phillies are 6-1 this Postseason at CBP with a +27 run differential (40-13)…they have out-homered opponents here 17-4 this Postseason. Over the last two Postseasons, Philly is 12-3 with a +48 run differential (84-36) in this building…they’ve out-homered the opposition 35-11.
PHILLY HOMERS: Arizona out-homered the Phillies yesterday for the first time in this series…when Philadelphia has been out-homered this Postseason they are 0-2. Of the Phillies 23 homers this Postseason, 19 have been solo shots. The Fightins have out-homered their opponents 23-8 (+15)…that would be the highest homer differential in a single Postseason in MLB history. Both Bryce Harper and Kyle Schwarber have 11 career Postseason homers as Phillies…that’s tied for most in team history with Jayson Werth.
THE ARIZONA OFFENSE: The D-Backs used the long ball and some stolen bases as a recipe for success in last night’s win. Arizona’s 18 homers this Postseason are the most they’ve hit in a single Postseason in team history…their previous high was 11 in the 2001 Postseason. The D-Backs stole four bases last night in last night’s win…when Arizona records at least one stolen base this Postseason they are 5-0.
SCHWARBOMBS: Kyle Schwarber is tied with Derek Jeter for the fourth-most homers in Postseason history after hitting his 20th on Saturday night.
Career Postseason Homers — All-Time
Player Homers Games
Manny Ramírez 29 111
José Altuve 27 103
Bernie Williams 22 121
Kyle Schwarber 20 64
Player Homers Games
Derek Jeter 20 158
Albert Pujols 19 88
George Springer 19 67
Alex Bregman 19 97
12 of Schwarber’s 20 career Postseason homers have come during LCS play…the 12 such homers are tied for second-most in LCS play all-time with José Altuve..only Manny Ramírez (13) had more during overall LCS play. Schwarber is one of three Phillies with five homers this Postseason (Harper & Castellanos are the others)…it’s the third time in Postseason history a trio of teammates each have homered at least five times in a single Postseason…the other two times were the 2017 Astros and 2022 Phillies (Schwarber, Harper & Hoskins).
NLCS GAME 7 STARTING PITCHERS
BRANDON PFAADT RHP
2023 REGULAR SEASON: 3-9, 5.72 ERA
2023 POSTSEASON: 0-0, 2.13 ERA
THE ROOK: Pfaadt (pronounced fought) starts tonight in the winner-take-all Game 7. Pfaadt was stellar in Game 3 in Arizona, blanking the Phils over 5.2 innings, allowing only two hits and striking out a career-best nine. At 25 years, 4 days, Pfaadt became the youngest pitcher in D-Backs history to record 9+ strikeouts in a Postseason game…he was the first D-Back overall to whiff nine batters in a playoff game since Brandon Webb in Game 1 of the 2007 NLDS (also nine strikeouts). His nine strikeouts were tied for seventh-most by a rookie all-time in a Postseason game behind:
Livan Hernández (15 in Game 5 of the 1997 NLCS)
Mike Boddicker (14 in Game 2 of the 1983 ALCS)
John Candelaria (14 in Game 3 of the 1975 NLCS)
Don Newcombe (11 in Game 1 of the 1949 World Series)
Tim Belcher (10 in Game 2 of the 1988 NLCS)
Dave Righetti (10 in Game 2 of the 1981 ALDS)
He enters this outing having not allowed a run in each of his last two Postseason outings 10.0ip).
YOUNG’N: He is taking the mound today at 25 years, 9 days old in tonight’s winner-take-all game. The last pitchers younger than Pfaadt is today to start a winner-take-all Game 7 were ATL’s Ian Anderson (22 years, 169 days) and LAD’s Dustin May (23 years, 42 days) when they opposed one another in Game 7 of the 2020 NLCS (both were also rookies). The last pitcher younger than Pfaadt to do so in Game 7 in a true road environment (the 2020 NLCS was played at a neutral site) was LAD’s Walker Buehler (24 years, 84 days) when he started Game 7 of the NLCS at Milwaukee in 2018.
2023 CAMPAIGN: Pfaadt’s season began in Triple-A Reno with the Aces where he made five starts before being called up to Arizona for his MLB debut on May 3 at Texas. He spent the entire month of May in the D-Backs rotation (8.37 ERA in five starts) before going back to
Triple-A. Was recalled again for a spot start on June 29 before going back to AAA…rejoined Arizona on July 22 and spent the rest of the year with the D-Backs. Had a 5.72 ERA in 19 games (18 starts) at the Major League level this year…his ERA looked a bit better after his final recall, posting a 4.22 ERA in 13 games (12 starts) after July 22
RANGER SUÁREZ LHP
2023 REGULAR SEASON: 4-6, 4.18 ERA
2023 POSTSEASON: 1-0, 0.64 ERA
HOP IN THE ‘RANGE: Today’s outing marks Suárez fourth start this Postseason and seventh in his Postseason career. Suárez opposed Pfaadt in Game 3 in Arizona, spinning 5.1 scoreless innings, allowing three hits and striking out seven in a no-decision. The 28-year-old has allowed just one run in 14.0 Postseason innings this year, struck out 13, walked two and allowed seven hits. Tonight will be Suárez’ first Postseason start in a winner-take-all scenario.
POSTER CHILD: Like most members of this Phillies staff, all of Suárez playoff experience has come here with the Phils over the last two years. In eight career Postseason appearances (six starts), Suárez boasts a 3-0 mark with a 0.94 ERA (3er, 28.2ip)…he’s struck out 26 and walked eight in those 28.2 Postseason innings. He’s been used as a starter this Postseason after appearing as both a starter and reliever last Postseason. Regardless of role, the Phillies have won seven of the eight games he’s pitched in during Postseason play with the lone exception being his last outing in Game 3 at Arizona.
BANK’S OPEN: In four Postseason games (three starts) here at Citizens Bank Park, Suárez is 3-0 with a 1.15 ERA (2er, 15.2ip) with nine strikeouts and one walk. Tonight’s start will be his second home start this Postseason…he started Game 4 of the NLDS vs. Atlanta on October 12, working 5.0 innings and allowing one run on three hits in the Phils 3-1 win.
2023 CAMPAIGN: Was 4-6 with a 4.18 ERA in 22 starts for the Phillies this year during the regular season. The 28-year-old did miss some time this year, opening the year on the Injured List and having two stays there overall this season.
AGAINST THE D-BACKS: Is 1-3 with a 4.43 ERA (20er, 40.2ip) in 10 games (seven starts) (including the playoffs) versus Arizona in his career. In four games (three starts) versus Arizona during the regular season here at home, Suárez is 1-1 with a 5.79 ERA (12er, 18.2ip) Earlier this season, he allowed five runs on five hits over 5.0 innings on May 24 vs. Arizona here at CBP… Philly still won that game, 6-5.
