October 21, 2022

Instant observations: Phillies seize 2-1 series lead thanks to Jean Segura heroics

By Evan Macy
PhillyVoice Staff

Jean Segura was seemingly involved in every play of note Friday night in South Philly — making errors, Gold Glove plays at second and most importantly — driving in the go-ahead runs in the Phillies' 4-2 victory in Game 3 of the NLCS.

The Phillies remain unbeaten at home in these playoffs, and are playing some inspired, yet flawed baseball. They've been able to overcome their missteps all October long and their most recent victory was no different, as Segura did a little of everything.

Segura flashes the leather to end the seventh! pic.twitter.com/gzfWmdRyoW
— Phillies Nation (@PhilliesNation) October 22, 2022

Needing to win two of the next four, (with two of the next four at home), the Phillies once again are in the driver's seat of a playoff series and the vibes are good all around. Here's a look at the good, the bad and the ugly before we do it all again Saturday for Game 4:

The good

• We mentioned that Kyle Schwarber had started to feel it in the Phils' Game 3 loss as he collected a couple hits including a homer. Well, the momentum carried back to Philadelphia as he led off the first with a no doubt about it, 405 foot home run to right that left the bat at 109 mph.

Kyle Schwarber’s home run 💣 = 🎶 to our ears.

Phillies are out to a quick lead in Game 3 of the #NLCS. Follow along: https://t.co/XtKocfrHRj pic.twitter.com/RStpcjfqcp
— The Philadelphia Inquirer (@PhillyInquirer) October 21, 2022

Schwarber also had a single in the seventh. The Phillies may have started the series 1-1, but they have been just mashing the baseball left and right and the more you make good contact the more good things will eventually happen. Philadelphia has scored first a lot this postseason and there is no better recipe for winning games.

• Bryson Stott hasn't done a ton this postseason but he had a pair of hits Friday including a two-out double to put runners at second and third for Jean Segura. In a long quality at bat, Segura fouled off a few pitched before blooping a single to right to score Stott and Bohm, redeeming himself for an error he made an inning prior (which we'll get to in the bad section) and putting his team up 3-1. It's always nice to see production from the back of the lineup.

Clutch Jean. #Postseason pic.twitter.com/Yj2YZsLQhT
— MLB (@MLB) October 22, 2022

• How about some two-out magic in the sixth? With nothing doing and the crowd slowly falling into a lull, Nick Castellanos ripped a double to left, and Alec Bohm hit one of his own under the diving Juan Soto in right. The Phillies bolstered their slim lead to 4-2 and got the crowd back into it in a big way.

• Some props to Ranger Suarez. He went five innings and allowed just one earned run on two hits. He gave the Phillies what they needed in Game 3 and gave the bullpen a chance to do its job to stay in a good spot for Game 4's likely bullpen game.

• Speaking of the bullpen, Phillies manager Rob Thomson is nothing if not bold. After Suarez departed with the Phillies leading, he elected to go with Zach Eflin for the sixth, Jose Alvarado for the seventh and into the eighth, and tagged Seranthony Domínguez to try and secure a big boy save.

Seranthony Domínguez will go for the Phillies' first six-out save in the postseason since 42 years ago today when Tug McGraw sealed the 1980 World Series.
— Matt Gelb (@MattGelb) October 22, 2022

It wasn't without a few blemishes and heart-stopping moments but the bullpen got through and made Philadelphia's first-time manager look smart. Were these decisions made because he was trying to preserve his other arms for what will be extensive work Saturday? Or was it a ridiculous vote of confidence for his lefty specialist and closer to trust they could handle the final three frames against an intimidated Padres lineup themselves? Whatever his reasoning, it worked and the Phillies will have their options open in Game 4.

• For your daily dose of Phillies facts, let's look at the four other games the Phillies have played on this date, October 21:

In 1980 they won their first ever World Series title
In 1993 Curt Schilling threw a shutout in Game 5 of the World Series
In 2009 Jayson Werth blasted two homers in an NLCS win over the Dodgers
In 2010 Roy Halladay led the Phillies to a Game 5 win over the Giants

They are 5-0 on October 21.

The bad

• The Phillies committed some not particularly costly defensive blunders back in Game 2 in San Diego, and unfortunately despite some solid outfield play from Brandon Marsh, the infield's lack of glove skills cost a valuable run. In the fourth, with runners on the corners, a perfect slow rolling double play ground ball to Stott was completely bungled by Segura on the bag and all the runners were safe (and more importantly, the game was tied 1-1).

The Padres catch a break on a fielder's choice RBI.

After overturning the play at second, the runner is safe on an error by Jean Segura.

📺: FS1 and the FOX Sports App pic.twitter.com/0pIA29kg57
— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) October 22, 2022

Another error, this one of the rare two-base variety, came courtesy of Rhys Hoskins at first base, who was unable to line a chopper of a ground ball up with his glove and it rolled to the half wall. The Padres plated Trent Grisham on a ground out to cut the score to 3-2 in the fifth.

This is an immensely talented baseball team and if they don't make it to the World Series, it will be because of unforced errors and mental mistakes like this one. The contrast between the Phillies infield defense and the Padres is pretty easy to see, as they had no problems turning two more than once Friday night.