1 of 5 | Philadelphia Phillies designated hitter Kyle Schwarber runs the bases after hitting a home run in the fourth inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers during Game 3 of the National League Division Series on Wednesday at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles. Photo by John McCoy/UPI | License Photo
Kyle Schwarber kept the Philadelphia Phillies playoff hopes alive, homering twice to beat the Los Angeles Dodgers and stave off elimination in the NLDS.
Schwarber clobbered long balls in the fourth and eighth innings of the 8-2 Game 3 triumph Wednesday in Los Angeles. The Phillies will attempt to extend the best-of-five game series again in Game 4 on Thursday at Dodger Stadium.
“I feel like we do a really good job of responding whenever something goes against us,” Schwarber told reporters. “That’s something we have a knack for here.
“That’s something that’s never going to leave us. We have to keep that same feeling, that same fight.”
Second baseman Tommy Edman gave the Dodgers a 1-0 lead with a 393-foot solo homer in the bottom of the third inning. Schwarber and the Phillies responded with a three-run fourth and the Dodgers never led again.
Schwarber started the surge with a 455-foot leadoff homer. Third baseman Alec Bohm swatted an RBI single two at-bats later for a 2-0 edge. Center fielder Brandon Marsh hit the next pitch from Dodgers starter Yoshinobu Yamamoto to left field for an RBI sacrifice fly.
Phillies catcher J.T. Realmuto hit a 407-foot solo homer in the eight for a 4-1 advantage.
The Phillies went on to score four more runs in the inning to break the game open. That outburst included a 368-foot, two-run Schwarber homer for the Phillies’ final runs of the night.
Edman plated the game’s last run with an RBI single in the ninth.
Phillies starter Aaron Nola allowed just one hit over two scoreless innings. The Phillies bullpen combined to allow seven hits and two runs over seven innings.
Schwarber went 2 for 4 with three RBIs and two runs scored. Shortstop Trea Turner went 3 for 5 with two RBIs. First baseman Bryce Harper, Bohm and Realmuto recorded two hits apiece.
Yamamoto allowed six hits and three runs over four innings. Dodgers veteran Clayton Kershaw allowed six hits and five runs, including four earned, over two innings as a relief pitcher.
The Dodgers (2-1) will host the Phillies (1-2) in Game 4 at 6:08 p.m. EDT Thursday in Los Angeles. The winner of the series will face the Milwaukee Brewers or Chicago Cubs in the NLCS.
The Cubs, who trail 1-2 in that series, beat the Brewers 4-3 on Wednesday in Chicago to stay alive. First baseman Michael Busch homered in the victory. Center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong went 1 for 4 with two RBIs. Cubs starter Jameson Taillon allowed five hits and two runs over four innings.
The Detroit Tigers started Wednesday’s slate with a 9-3 win over the Seattle Mariners to tie their ALDS at 2-2. Left fielder Riley Greene, shortstop Javier Baez and second baseman Gleyber Torres each homered for the Tigers. Third baseman Zach McKinstry went 3 for 4 with an RBI and two runs scored in the victory.
Tigers starter Casey Mize allowed two hits and one run over three innings.
The Mariners will host the Tigers in Game 5 at 8:08 p.m. Thursday in Seattle. The winner of the series will meet the Toronto Blue Jays in the ALCS.
A terrific bullpen-game effort helped the Blue Jays eliminate the New York Yankees from the playoffs with a 5-2 win in Game 4 of the ALDS on Wednesday in New York.
Louis Varland, Mason Fluharty, Seranthony Dominguez, Eric Lauer, Yariel Rodriguez, Brendon Little, Braydon Fisher and Jeff Hoffman combined to allow six hits and two runs over nine innings.
Outfielder Nathan Lukes went 2 for 5 with a two-run single. Third baseman Addison Barger recorded three hits for the Blue Jays. Yankees starter Aaron Judge went 2 for 4 with an RBI single. Third baseman Ryan McMahon homered for the Yankees.
