MLB Game 5 NLCS Postgame Notes

October 22, 2023

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GAME 5 NOTES

In any best-of-seven Postseason series that was tied 2-2, the winner of Game 5 has gone on to win the series 46 out of 65 times (70.7%), including 15- of-19 times in the LCS (78.9%).
When the road team wins Game 5 to take a 3-2 series lead, they have won the series 22-of-28 times (78.6%), including seven-of-eight times in the LCS (87.5%).
Philadelphia remains perfect in NLCS Game 5s after tonight’s win, improving to 7-0 all-time.
Tonight’s Phillies win also marked the first time in this series that the road team has won a game.

PHILS GO DEEEEP

With three more home runs tonight the Phillies have now hit 23 this Postseason to continue to lead all teams.
Only the 2009 Phillies (25 homers in 15 Postseason games) and last year’s club (24 homers in 17 games) have hit more in a single Postseason.
Of the 23 homers, 19 have been solo shots…the Phillies did end a stretch of 16 consecutive solo homers with J.T. Realmuto’s two-run shot off Luis Frías in the 8th inning.
The Phillies have scored 30 of their 58 total runs this Postseason via the homer (51.7%).
According to ESPN Stats & Info Bryce Harper and Kyle Schwarber have combined for 22 homers in the last two Postseasons (11 each), the most combined homers by a duo over a two-year span in the playoffs in MLB history.

WHEELS UP

Zack Wheeler earned the win with 7.0 innings of one-run ball this evening with eight strikeouts and one walk.
In four starts this Postseason, Wheeler has struck out 34 batters and walked only two.
The only other starters in Postseason history to strike out as many as Wheeler and issue two or fewer walks in their first four starts of a single Postseason are Josh Beckett (35k, 2bb in the 2007 Postseason with Boston), Stephen Strasburg (36k, 2bb in the 2019 Postseason with Washington) and Cliff Lee (41k, 2bb in the 2010 Postseason with Texas) (Elias).
In 10 career Postseason starts, Wheeler is now 4-3 with a 2.48 ERA (17er, 61.2ip), 67 strikeouts a 9.78 K/9ip and a 0.73 WHIP.

KYLE SCHWARBER

Connected on his fifth homer of this series (and Postseason) with his solo shot off Zac Gallen in the 6th inning.
The homer was the 20th of his Postseason career, tied with Derek Jeter for fourth-most in Postseason history all-time…ahead of Schwarber and Jeter are Manny Ramirez (29), José Altuve (26) and Bernie Williams (22).
Schwarber hit his 20th homer in his 63rd Postseason game…Ramírez had 29 in 111 career playoff games, Altuve has 26 in 101 career playoff games, Williams had 22 in 121 career playoff games and Jeter had his 20 in 158 career playoff games.
Schwarber is also the quickest to 20 homers in his Postseason career, doing so in 63 games…the previous quickest was Altuve, who hit his 20th in his 68th career Postseason game (Sarah Langs).
Tonight’s homer was his 12th all-time in a LCS, now second-most in LCS history, breaking a tie with Altuve…Ramírez leads with 13 LCS homers for his career.

BRYCE HARPER

Clubbed his fifth homer of the Postseason (and second of this series) with his solo shot off Zac Gallen.
According to Elias & Sarah Langs, Harper’s teams have now won 11 straight Postseason games in which he’s homered, the longest such streak of all-time.
The homer was the 16th of Harper’s Postseason career, now fifth-most by a left-handed hitter in Postseason history…Harper entered the day tied with Babe Ruth and Corey Seager tied for fifth… Harper’s teammate Kyle Schwarber leads all lefthanded hitters with 20 career Postseason homers.
Stole home on a delayed steal in the 1st inning…in doing so he became the 1st Phillie to steal home in a Postseason game according to Elias.
It was the 22nd steal of home during Postseason play in MLB history…the last to do it prior to Harper was Tampa Bay’s Randy Arozarena in Game 1 of the 2021 ALDS (Sarah Langs)…the last to do so in an LCS game was CHC’s Javier Báez in Game 1 of the 2016 NLCS vs. Los Angeles-NL (Elias).

PHILS ON THE MOVE

The Phillies recorded their fourth multi-steal game this Postseason with their three steals tonight… the four multi-steal games are now their most in a single Postseason in team history.

KETEL MARTE:

Ketel Marte had a hit today and has now hit safely in each of his first 14 career Postseason games, the second-longest hit streak to begin a Postseason career in MLB history…only ATL’s Marquis Grissom had a longer streak (hit safely in his first 15 career Postseason games).
This Postseason, Marte is slashing .372/.400/.605 (1.005 OPS) with four doubles, two homers, five RBI and six runs scored.
In his 14 career Postseason games, Marte is slashing .383/.403/.667 (1.070 OPS) with nine extra-base hits, seven RBI and 10 runs scored.

ALEK THOMAS

Went deep for a second straight day with his solo homer in the 7th inning off Zack Wheeler…it’s the second time this Postseason he’s homered in consecutive games (also Game 2 of the NLWC at Milwaukee and Game 1 of the NLDS at Los Angeles-NL).
It’s the fifth time in D-Backs Postseason history that a player has homered in consecutive games…Thomas is the only player in team history to do it twice.
No player in D-Backs history has homered in three consecutive Postseason games.
He’s also the first D-Backs player in team history with four home runs in a single Postseason ahead of teammate Gabriel Moreno (three this Postseason), Chris Young (three in the 2011 Postseason) and Luis González (three in the 2001 Postseason).
Thomas’ homer also was the 11th this Postseason by an Arizona player 23 or younger…the 11 such homers are tied for most in a single Postseason with the 2017 Cubs.

TREA TURNER:

Trea Turner was 0-for-4 tonight and had his 10-game hitting streak to open this Postseason snapped…he’d also hit safely in each of his last 14 Postseason games dating to last Postseason before going hitless today.
Turner’s 10-game hitting streak to open the Postseason is tied for the longest by a Phillie with Lenny Dykstra’s 10 consecutive games with a hit to open the 1993 Postseason.