MLB playoffs 2023: Phillies' offensive barrage continues, Aaron Nola shuts down Diamondbacks to go up 2-0

The Philadelphia Phillies are two wins away from a second straight World Series appearance. So far, they haven't made the trip back look very complicated.

Arizona Diamondbacks at Philadelphia Phillies, NLCS Game 2: Phillies 10, Diamondbacks 0 (Philly leads 2-0)

Game summary:

Home Phillies wins in this year's playoffs have taken on an identity somewhat analogous to "Clue," as in there's always an answer for "Who sparked the crowd with an early lead?" "Which pitcher shut down the opposing offense until the game was out of hand?" and "Who contributed the backbreaking runs to put the game away?"

In Game 1, it was, respectively, Kyle Schwarber, Zack Wheeler and Bryce Harper. In Game 2, it was Trea Turner, Aaron Nola and J.T. Realmuto. The one constant was a raucous Citizens Bank Park crowd that has provided this season's biggest home-field advantage.

Those fans got to enjoy a leadoff home run from Schwarber in Game 1. Sadly, they had to wait until the second batter Tuesday, as Trea Turner continued a torrid offseason at the plate (and redeemed a first-inning error) with a solo homer:

Schwarber joined the solo home run parade in the third and again in the sixth, and then Realmuto turned the game into a laugher with an RBI double that boosted the lead to 5-0 as part of a four-run inning. From there, the Phillies kept pounding away, with another four-spot in the seventh putting them up by double digits.

Key moment:

The score makes the game look as if it was all Phillies all the time, but the Diamondbacks had the tying run at the plate as late as the sixth inning, via a Ketel Marte double off Nola.

Nola had been dominant up to that point, so the Phillies left him in to face the D-backs’ No. 3 and 4 hitters, Tommy Pham and Christian Walker. Nola got both out to complete six scoreless innings, with three hits allowed, no walks and seven strikeouts.

The Phillies have had only three pitchers start games this postseason: Nola, Wheeler and Ranger Suarez. That trio has combined to post a 1.55 ERA, 0.67 WHIP, 51 strikeouts, four walks and only 27 hits in 46⅓ innings of work.

On Tuesday, Nola and the Phillies’ bullpen shut out the Diamondbacks for the first time in the franchise’s postseason history.

Impact player:

After a slow start to his postseason at the plate, Schwarber got in on the action with his solo homer in the third, then did more damage in the sixth with a second long ball to make it 3-0 Phillies.

With that performance, the Phillies tied an MLB record with their fourth multi-homer game by a player in a postseason, joining the 2009 Phillies and 2002 Los Angeles Angels. This year's Phillies — Harper, Castellanos (twice) and Schwarber — logged all four of those games in their past four contests.

It’s no wonder the Phillies set an MLB postseason record with 14 homers in that four-game span.

What’s next?

After a day off Wednesday, the NLCS resumes with Game 3 at 5:07 p.m. ET Thursday in Phoenix. Starting pitchers have yet to be announced. The Diamondbacks will be hoping the home crowd at Chase Field can help them get back in this series.