Credit the Phillies’ resilience and fight all you want, and you should, but one thing they absolutely, positively had to do in Game 3 of the World Series was set the tone.

Set aside their Game 1 comeback for the ages, an early multi-run deficit isn’t a sustainable model for success.

So, with 45,712 fans pumping 1993 Lenny Dykstra levels of juice into Citizens Bank Park as Ranger Suárez delivered the first pitch, the Phillies set the tone early.

As in first-pitch early.

Sudden postseason defensive wizard Nick Castellanos laid out like he has so many other times in recent weeks to record the first out. Eight pitches later, Suárez was back in the dugout clean.


A few moments later, Bryce Harper clocked a hanging 84 mph knuckle curve from Houston starting pitcher Lance McCullers Jr. over the right field out-of-town scoreboard, prompting a reaction so loud it made the concrete of the auxiliary press box shake.

This should give you a feel for the chaos.

 

It wasn’t just loud. It was scientifically loud.

https://twitter.com/JeanLucPicard84/status/1587625558124404737?s=20&t=Xw1CqCLd9Iyn-gsQjwevNA

Now, is this legit? No idea. Saw some people on Twitter who said it wasn’t, so probably not. That’s fine. It’s late, and it fits the narrative, so I’m rolling with it.

Either way, Harper’s homer got the party started. It continued an inning later with solo homers by Alec Bohm and Brandon Marsh, and it went to a different level in the fifth when Kyle Schwarber and Rhys Hoskins broke things wide-open with 817-feet worth of blasts that made it 7-0.

With the Phillies now two victories away from winning the World Series, let’s jump into some observations.

Do Your Homework

By now, you have probably watched the second inning talk between Bryce Harper and Alec Bohm, as well as the first-pitch rocket that immediately followed.

Instant speculation over the conversation kicked up everywhere on Twitter. Was McCullers tipping pitches? Were they talking pitch selection and approach?

Even Jason Kelce was trying to figure out what was going on.

Whatever the case, had McCullers, who would later become the first pitcher in World Series history to surrender five home runs in a single game, simply told the Phillies what was coming, he could not have fared any worse.

Bohm wouldn’t give up the details of the exchange during his in-game interview or with reporters postgame. Harper also deflected, so it was up to ex-players and at-home scouts to speculate. Some were diagnosing tells in McCullers’ leg kick while others were noting the right-hander’s postseason predictable pitch mix.

https://twitter.com/DaWink33/status/1587611110722633729?s=20&t=Xw1CqCLd9Iyn-gsQjwevNA

Whatever the case, credit Harper for being all over something.

There’s no denying that he is one of the most talented hitters of this generation, but he sets himself up to capitalize through study habits.

Go back to his dramatic Game 5 NLCS home run against San Diego. Padres reliever Robert Suarez jumped ahead and tried to finish Harper hard and away. After Harper spoiled a pair of pitches down 1-2, Suarez countered with an outstanding changeup that missed just below the zone. Harper spit on it, and the rest became history. He got what he expected with a 98.9 mph sinker on the outer half of the plate that turned into one of the most memorable moments in Phillies franchise history.

Fast forward nine days to the very next pitch Harper saw at Citizens Bank Park. Not only was he once again ready for what was coming, he seemed to have Bohm ready, too.

Legend Status?

Postseason moments define players forever, especially in this city, and in the case of Ranger Suárez, I think we’re watching a Philadelphia legend in the making.

Is this a take? Am I’m getting swept up in the moment?

I don’t think so.

All this man does is perform in big spots, and he’s done it with balls of steel.

Five innings, one earned run in Game 3 of the NLCS followed by nailing down the final two outs two days later in Game 5? No problem.

How about reprising his relief role in Game 1 of the World Series for two high-leverage outs followed by a brilliant Game 3 start? Don’t worry about it.

Another chapter in the legend of Ranger Suárez was written during five shutout innings that allowed the Phillies to establish an early lead and then build on it.  He has now allowed just two earned runs in 14 2/3 innings for a 1.23 ERA over five postseason appearances.

As has become his calling card, Suárez was again at his best when it mattered most.

Not only did he limit Houston’s top five hitters to a collective 0-for-11, he steadily navigated the two only two true conflicts he encountered.

Holding a 4-0 lead in the fifth with action in the bullpen, Suárez worked into and out of only his second jam of the night.

The Astros had a flicker of life when they put two aboard with two away. Suárez, however, quickly extinguished Houston’s last true threat when he got Jose Altuve to weakly pop out.

https://twitter.com/BrodesMedia/status/1587619735310684160?s=20&t=Xw1CqCLd9Iyn-gsQjwevNA

Still, it was his ability to work out of trouble in the second that proved most important.

Looking for a shutdown inning following Harper’s early blast, Suárez got the first two outs of the inning before allowing a pair of singles to Yuli Gurriel and David Hensley.

It was the type of pesky sequence you would expect from a 106-win team, except Suárez never blinked. He ended the inning with by freezing Chas McCormick with a 95 mph sinker on the inner-half of the plate.

The Astros had little else the rest of the night, and Suárez is now right on the doorstep of becoming a hero in this city, forever.

A Magic Touch

“I’ve got the magic in me. Every time I touch that track, it turns into gold.”

-Rob Thomson, probably

Thomson didn’t worry about a quick pull with Suárez in Game 3 of the NLCS, so it’s no surprise he didn’t worry about a quick pull in Game 3 of the World Series.

Suárez was finished after just five innings and 76 pitches. Had the Phillies not broken the game open in the fifth, his decision probably would have been up for at least some debate.

No need.

Thomson has brilliantly balanced an aggressive in-game approach while keeping an eye on future situations this postseason. If the Phillies find themselves in a tight spot in Game 5, it’s not unreasonable to think Suárez could be called upon for an out or two. If this series goes the distance, he’s almost certain to get the ball in Game 7.

It was 100% the right call.

Bash Brothers

Here’s what I absolutely know about the solo homers by Alec Bohm and Brandon Marsh: Each caused chaos at the park, in your living room, and at bars across the Delaware Valley.

Here’s something I absolutely didn’t know:

Other Quick Thoughts

  • Are the fans responsible for the Phillies’ 6-0 record at home this postseason? As I’ve gotten older, I’ve always felt that this idea gets played up a bit too much. Fans want to be told they have an impact, and sometimes, such assurances are nothing more than some convenient pandering. What’s happening at Citizens Bank Park feels different right now. The crowd was electric, hostile, and relentless again in this one, and while it can’t execute pitches, catch the ball, or swing the bat, even a cynic would have to admit this team is feeding off the energy of the crowd right now. There’s no question about it.
  • Not only are the Phillies undefeated at Citizens Bank Park this postseason, they have totally outclassed opponents, outscoring them by a 42-15 margin. In other words, they are scoring seven runs per game while allowing just 2.5.
  • The Phillies’ bullpen situation ahead of Game 4 couldn’t be much better. Obviously, the credit starts with Suárez, but Connor Brogdon, Kyle Gibson, Andrew Bellatti, and even a shaky Nick Nelson deserve a pat on the ass. Thomson was able to avoid using the trio of Seranthony Dominguez, Zach Eflin, and Jose Alvarado in Game 3, meaning all three of his top relievers will be on three days of rest. That is almost unprecedented for a team at this point in the World Series.