MLB NLCS Game 1 Postgame Notes

October 17, 2023

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GAME 1 NOTES

In 53 previous NLCS matchups, the team winning Game 1 has gone on to win the series 38 times (71.7%)…. since moving to a seven-game format in 1985, the team winning Game 1 has advanced to the World Series in 26 of 37 seasons (70.3%)…in eight of the last 10 NLCS dating to 2013, the team winning Game 1 has won the series.
With tonight’s win, the Phillies improved to 22-7 (.759) all-time in Game 1s…the .759 win % in Game 1s is the best in MLB history (min. 20g).
Philly has now won eight consecutive Game 1s (since Game 1 of the 2011 NLDS) and they have won 15 of their last 16 Game 1s in Postseason play dating to Game 1 of the 2008 NLDS.
Arizona falls to 7-6 all-time in Postseason Game 1s with tonight’s loss.

BIRTHDAY BRYCE

With his solo home run in the 1st inning, Bryce Harper became the fourth player in Postseason history to homer on his birthday…the other four are Kolten Wong on his 25th birthday (October 10, 2015) in Game 2 of the NLDS vs. Chicago-NL, Evan Longoria on his 28th birthday (October 7, 2013) in Game 3 of the ALDS vs. Boston and Willie Aikens on his 26th birthday (October 14, 1980)…Harper is the oldest player of this group to homer on his birthday in Postseason play (he turns 31 today).
The home run was Harper’s 10th Postseason homer as a Phillie…he’s now tied for second-most in Phillies history with Chase Utley…Jayson Werth is first in Phillies history with 11 Postseason homers.
This Postseason, Harper is slashing .409/.567/.955 in 30 plate appearances with four homers, seven RBI, nine runs scored and eight walks.

LEADOFF SCHWAR-BOMBS

Kyle Schwarber led off tonight’s game with a first-pitch homer to give Philadelphia a 1-0 lead.
It was Schwarber’s four career leadoff homer in Postseason play (third as a Phillie)…no other player has hit more leadoff homers in the Postseason than Schwarber.
Schwarber’s fourth career Postseason leadoff HR broke a tie with Derek Jeter (three) and former Phillie Jimmy Rollins (three).
The leadoff homer was Schwarber’s 12th this season (11 in the regular season and today’s)… Philadelphia is now 9-3 (8-3 entering tonight) when he goes yard to leadoff the game.

SAINT NICK

Nick Castellanos clubbed a solo homer in the 2nd inning, his fifth home run in his last three games.
The only other player in Postseason history to hit five home runs over a three-game span within a a single Postseason was Reggie Jackson, who did so across Games 4-6 of the 1977 World Series.
Castellanos has now homered in three straight games (Games 3 & 4 of the NLDS and tonight)… he’s the third Phillie in team history to homer in three-straight games in a single Postseason with the others being Bryce Harper last Postseason (Games 3 & 4 of the NLDS and Game 1 of the NLCS) and Gary Matthews in Games 2-4 of the 1983 NLCS.

WE GOIN’ BIG (FLY)

Philadelphia clubbed three homers tonight, giving them 16 this Postseason to lead all teams.
With three more homers tonight the Phillies have now hit 12 in their last three games, most in a three-game span by any team in Postseason history…the previous mark of 11 was held by the 2020 Yankees who did it in Games 1 & 2 of the ALWC and Game 1 of the ALDS.
Through seven games this Postseason, the Phils have hit 16 homers, tied for third most in the first seven-games of a single Postseason with the 2021 Red Sox…only the 2020 Yankees (17) and 2004 Astros (17) hit more through their first seven Postseason games.
Since last Postseason, the Phillies have outhomered their opponents 32-9 in this ballpark.

WHEELS UP:

RHP Zack Wheeler twirled 6.0 innings and allowed two runs on three hits with eight strikeouts and no walks to earn the win tonight.
This Postseason, Wheeler has struck out 26 batters through his first three starts…the 26 strikeouts are the most by any Phillie in a single Postseason through their first three starts…Cole Hamels (22 in the 2008 Postseason) and Curt Schilling (22 in the 1993 Postseason) had previously held the mark.
Wheeler has fanned 26 with just one walk in his three Postseason starts this year (19.0ip).
In nine career Postseason starts, Wheeler has a 2.63 ERA (16er, 54.2ip), 59 strikeouts, eight walks and a 0.70 WHIP.
Tonight marked Wheeler’s third career Postseason start at home here at CBP…he is now 2-0 with a 2.37 ERA…Philly is 3-0 as a team in those starts.

NLCS POSTGAME NOTES
GAME 1 – MONDAY, OCTOBER 16, 2023
CITIZENS BANK SPARK:

Philadelphia improved to 27-11(.711) in playoff home games here at Citizens Bank Park since they played their first one here in 2007…in 12 NLCS games at this facility, the Phils are now 10-2.
The Phils .711 win % here in this facility during the Postseason is the highest of any team in any ballpark in Postseason history (min. 20 games played at the facility).
The Phillies are 5-0 at Citizens Bank Park this year during Postseason play.
Philadelphia has now won 10 straight Postseason games against the National League at home, the longest such streak in MLB history…tonight’s win broke a tie with the St. Louis Cardinals who won nine straight games against the NL at Busch Memorial Stadium from October 5, 2004-October 12, 2005.

KETEL MARTE:

Ketel Marte was 1-for-4 today and has now hit safely in each of his first 10 career Postseason games, becoming the first Diamondback in team history to do so…overall, he’s the 14th player in MLB history to hit safely in his first 10 career Postseason games.

ZAC GALLEN:

The New Jersey native allowed five runs (all earned) over 5.0 innings in his third career Postseason start.
Allowed three home runs tonight (two on the first pitch)…marked the first time Gallen has allowed three homers in a game since allowing a career-high four homers to the Dodgers at Dodger Stadium on August 28, 2023…tonight was the fourth time in his career he’s allowed 3+ homers (115 career regular season starts and three Postseason starts).

EVAN LONGORIA

By appearing in tonight’s game, Evan Longoria appeared in his first LCS game since 2008 when he did so with Tampa Bay…Longoria is the fourth player (and first non-pitcher) to appear in a LCS 15+ years after his prior appearance joining NYM’s Bartolo Colón in 2015 (17 years after his 1998 appearance with Cleveland), STL’s Chuck Finley in 2002 (16 years after his 1986 appearance with the California Angels) and CLE’s Dennis Martínez in 1995 (16 years after his 1979 appearance with Baltimore) (Sarah Langs/MLB).

D-BACKS HOME RUNS

With Geraldo Perdomo’s second career Postseason homer in the 6th, the Diamondbacks have now homered in 17 consecutive Postseason games dating to Game 3 of the 2007 NLCS at Colorado (October 14, 2007)…the streak is the second-longest in MLB Postseason history behind a 23-game homer streak by the Yankees from 2019-2022.
Perdomo’s homer also gives the D-Backs nine homers by players 23 or younger this Postseason, third-most in a single Postseason behind the 2015 Cubs (11) and 2017 Astros (nine)