The Philadelphia Phillies played their first playoff game in 11 years on Friday and for eight innings, it seemed as though the results would look a lot like Game 5 of that 2011 NLDS, with the Phillies being shut out by the St. Louis Cardinals. Then, the ninth inning happened.
Philadelphia entered the ninth inning trailing 2-0. But St. Louis pitcher Ryan Helsey, who had retired Brandon Marsh and Kyle Schwarber to end the eighth inning and Rhys Hoskins to start the ninth, lost his control of the strike zone. After J.T. Realmuto singled, Halsey walked Bryce Harper and Nick Castellanos to load the bases, then hit Alec Bohm with a pitch to bring in one run. Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol called on Andre Pallante to get out of the jam but the Phillies were not done.
Jean Segura slapped a ball to the right side, which got past the drawn-in infield and scored the tying and go-ahead runs.
The Phillies have scored 3 runs in the 9th to take a 3-2 lead over the Cardinals! ⚾️ pic.twitter.com/pwpuqlPLdW
— The Comeback (@thecomeback) October 7, 2022
Philadelphia’s Bryson Stott then hit a sharp grounder to Paul Goldschmidt, who opted to come home with the ball. His throw was late and Edmundo Sosa (who was pinch-running for Bohm) scored to put the Phillies up 4-2.
4-run 9th for the Phillies! ⚾️ pic.twitter.com/mfGhs5KWdt
— The Comeback (@thecomeback) October 7, 2022
Marsh then singled past Nolan Arenado to bring Segura home and Kyle Schwarber brought Stott home with a sacrifice fly to cap off what was a six-run ninth inning.
5-run 9th for the Phillies!
Nolan Arenado can't even field the ball now. pic.twitter.com/R3ITKI2tit
— The Comeback (@thecomeback) October 7, 2022
6-run 9th for the Phillies! pic.twitter.com/KmFuoEnG6H
— The Comeback (@thecomeback) October 7, 2022
The Cardinals didn’t go quietly in the home half of the ninth. St. Louis scored a run and even brought Yadier Molina to the plate as the tying run. But Zach Eflin struck Molina out to end the game.
Baseball fans had a lot to say about Philadelphia’s stunning 6-3 win.
The Phillies are the 10th team in postseason history to score 6+ runs in an inning in the 9th or later
They're the first of those to do it when entering the inning scoreless
— Sarah Langs (@SlangsOnSports) October 7, 2022
The Cardinals, in the ninth inning, have become the 2012-21 Phillies. This is unbelievable.
— Matt Gelb (@MattGelb) October 7, 2022
How on earth did this happen for the Phillies instead of to them?
— Lindsey Adler (@lindseyadler) October 7, 2022
Phillies 6, Cardinals 3. The Phillies waited 11 years — and then 8 more innings — to mark their return to postseason baseball. They author an inconceivable six-run ninth. Tomorrow night, they can advance to the NLDS.
— Matt Gelb (@MattGelb) October 7, 2022
The #Cardinals are 93-1 when having a lead of multiple runs entering the 8th inning of a playoff game.
That loss was against the #Phillies today.
— Jeff Kerr (@JeffKerrCBS) October 7, 2022
Phillies with the first postseason rally in history in which every batted ball looked like a double play off the bat.
— Justin Klugh (@justin_klugh) October 7, 2022
The Phillies have their first playoff win since Oct. 4, 2011, the Ben Francisco game. It's not hyperbolic considering how things unfolded that we just witnessed one of the best wins in Phillies history.
— Tim Kelly (@TimKellySports) October 7, 2022
The Phillies will have a chance to win the Wild Card Series on Saturday.
