Before the Philadelphia Phillies took their first at-bat in Saturday’s Game 4 of the NLCS against the San Diego Padres, they trailed by four runs. When the game ended, there was still a four-run gap between the teams. Only this time, the Phillies were on the right side of it.
San Diego scored four runs in the top of the first inning, thanks to a solo home run from Manny Machado, a two-run double from Brandon Drury and an RBI single from Ha-seong Kim. Philadelphia got three of those runs back in the home half of the first, with a two-run homer from Rhys Hoskins and an RBI double from Bryce Harper. Bryson Stott tied it in the bottom of the fourth but Juan Soto put the Padres back up in the top of the fifth with a two-run homer. The Phillies wouldn’t trail for long.
Hoskins hit his second two-run home run of the game to tie it in the bottom of the fifth inning. Two batters later, Harper hit his second RBI double of the game, scoring J.T. Realmuto to give Philadelphia its first lead of the night.
It did not stay tied for long. J.T. Realmuto walked after Hoskins and Bryce Harper drove him in with an RBI double, giving the Phillies their first lead of the night. pic.twitter.com/QdoD2yOIhK
— The Comeback (@thecomeback) October 23, 2022
That was all the run support that the Phillies would need — but not all that they’d get. Nick Castellanos drove in one with an RBI single in the fifth inning. Then, Kyle Schwarber and J.T. Realmuto hit solo homers in the sixth and seventh innings, respectively, to give Philadelphia a 10-6 lead.
That stood as the final.
The Phillies trailed 4-0 before coming up. But they fought back to defeat the Padres 10-6 in Game 4 of the NLCS and now lead 3-1, only one game away from a trip to the World Series for the first time since 2009. pic.twitter.com/oEbo2rTwTD
— The Comeback (@thecomeback) October 23, 2022
Baseball fans were quick to credit the Phillies for their comeback on Saturday and also noted how it’s a microcosm of Philadelphia’s season.
It is hard to describe the Phillies right now as anything other than A Team of Destiny. https://t.co/313HNz7QeZ
— Andy McCullough (@ByMcCullough) October 23, 2022
The Phillies are 8–2 in the postseason. Theirs is the most improbable run in what was an 87-75 regular season that didn’t turn many heads from Opening Day on. And I am here for every bit of it! https://t.co/1SemyVPvZf
— Christopher Gabriel (@CGProgram) October 23, 2022
https://twitter.com/JackMurphy219/status/1584026060240617472
With five games left in the regular season, the Phillies were tied with the Brewers for the last playoff spot.
The Brewers didn’t get in.
The Phillies lead the NLCS 3-1.
Happens fast.#RingTheBell #RedOctober https://t.co/iFLueSgrQK
— David Bohr (@David_Bohr) October 23, 2022
Indeed, the Phillies not only entered the postseason as the lowest seed in the National League but were the last team in either league to clinch a playoff spot. Philadelphia’s spot in the playoffs was very much in doubt all year. But after rolling through the St. Louis Cardinals in the Wild Card Round and stunning the defending World Series champion Atlanta Braves in the Division Series, the Phillies are one game away from their first trip to the World Series in 13 years.
