Nick Castellanos makes history as Phillies knock out Braves, advance to NLCS

PHILADELPHIA – The Philadelphia Phillies just keep making history.

The Atlanta Braves are simply going home.

In another epic National League Division Series battle between the NL East rivals, the Phillies dispatched the 104-win Braves for the second consecutive year, as three home runs and one throat-grabbing bullpen escape keyed a 3-1 win in Game 4 Thursday night at Citizens Bank Park.

The Phillies captured the NLDS by that same 3-1 count for the second consecutive year, as they move on to another NL Championship Series, this time against the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Game 1 is Monday at Citizens Bank Park.

No hero was bigger Thursday than Nick Castellanos, who hit a pair of home runs off Atlanta ace Spencer Strider, becoming the first player in major league history to hit two home runs in consecutive playoff games.

His first was an immediate answer after Austin Riley gave Atlanta a 1-0 lead with a fourth-inning home run. His second, with two outs in the sixth, finished Strider: A 415-foot shot off a 100-mph fastball, leaving his bat at 112.4 mph.

It was the hardest-hit ball of Castellanos’ career.

Meanwhile, shortstop Trea Turner had an almost equally significant night, rapping out four hits and giving the Phillies the lead for good with a solo home run off a Strider slider in the fifth

Just like Game 1, swingman Ranger Suarez was lined up against Strider and performed yeoman’s work, this time giving up just Riley’s homer in five innings of three-hit work. Yet the bullpen relay that worked so perfectly in Atlanta was bound to have some hiccups.

The Phillies barely survived them.

Lefty reliever Jose Alvarado lost control at the worst time, walking Nos. 7-8 hitters Kevin Pillar and Orlando Arcia with two outs in the seventh. Closer Craig Kimbrel, summoned in this spot to take down right-handed pinch-hitter Travis d’Arnaud, also issued a walk.

Then, the scare. A seven-pitch battle with presumed NL MVP Ronald Acuña Jr. ended with Acuña smoking a ball to the left center field gap. The crowd of 45,831 murmured and practically grew silent, but center fielder Johan Rojas ranged into the gap to haul it in.

The Phillies bullpen calmed from there and two innings later, the Phillies could rest easy: No trip to Atlanta for Game 5, home field advantage for the first time in their two-year postseason run and just four victories away from a second consecutive NL pennant.

– Gabe Lacques

Johan Rojas catch saves Phillies with bases loaded

With the bases loaded and two outs in the top of the seventh, rookie center fielder Johan Rojas made a leaping catch at the wall to take away an extra-base hit from Ronald Acuña Jr. that would have at least tied the game.

The Phillies maintained their 3-1 lead heading into the bottom of the seventh.

Nick Castellanos' second homer gives Phillies big insurance run

PHILADELPHIA - Nick Castellanos finished Spencer Strider with two mighty swings. He might have finished the Atlanta Braves, too.

Castellanos ripped a pair of solo homers in consecutive at-bats off the Atlanta ace, one a game-tying shot and the second an insurance shot on Strider's last pitch of the night in the sixth inning, giving Philadelphia a 3-1 lead in Game 4 of the NLDS.

Castellanos now has four homers in two nights, one of the most impactful performances ever in Division Series play. He is the first player in history to hit multiple home runs in back-to-back postseason games.

With Seranthony Dominguez and Jose Alvarado combining for a scoreless top of the sixth, the Phillies now must find nine more outs to win the series and advance to the NL Championship Series against Arizona.

– Gabe Lacques

Trea Turner's home run puts Phillies ahead in fifth

PHILADELPHIA - Trea Turner, continuing an excellent postseason run, hit a go-ahead home run off Braves ace Spencer Strider that gave the Phillies a 2-1 lead in Game 4 of the NLDS - and left them just four innings away from eliminating Atlanta.

It was Turner's third hit off Strider, follwoing a double in the first and a single in the third, and Strider followed his homer up with a walk to Bryce Harper.

With Phillies starter Ranger Suarez completing five innings - he only faced 13 batters in the Phillies' Game 1 win - the edge is firmly with Philly. Strider is at 78 pitches - and the Braves badly need him to get through seven innings.

– Gabe Lacques

Nick Castellanos home run ties it back up

PHILADELPHIA - For the second consecutive night, Nick Castellanos responded like a champion.

He answered Austin Riley's solo home run with a blast of his own in the bottom of the fourth inning of Game 4, a first-pitch shot intl the left field bleachers off Spencer Strider.

It was reminscent of Game 3, when Castellanos homered in the bottom of the third to tie the game and kick-start a wild six-run inning.

In this NLDS, Philadelphia now has 14 extra-base hits to the Braves' four, and nine homers to their three.

– Gabe Lacques

Austin Riley home run puts Braves in front

PHILADELPHIA - In a game they have to win, the Atlanta Braves struck first.

Third baseman Austin Riley hit his second home run of the series, off Game 4 Phillies starter Ranger Suarez, to give Atlanta a 1-0 lead after 3 ⅓ innings.

That might be the end for Suarez: He gave up a single to Matt Olson but induced an inning-ending double play from Marcell Ozuna. Suarez has faced 14 batters - one more than he faced in his scoreless Game 1 outing.

– Gabe Lacques

Bryce Harper makes error, but Ranger Suarez holds Braves hitless through three

PHILADELPHIA - Perhaps someday in these playoffs Bryce Harper's inexperience at first base will catch up to the Philadelphia Phillies. In Game 4, they dodged a bullet.

Harper, who started 40 games at first because his recovery from Tommy John surgery prevents him from playing the outfield, failed to scoop a throw from shortstop Trea Turner on a Michael Harris ground ball.

Turner was assessed the error, although it was a ball a more experienced first baseman likely would have scooped.

The only cost was in pitches to Ranger Suarez: He had to throw six more to retire Ronald Acuña Jr. to finish the inning.

Oh, Suarez has not given up a hit through three innings, his pitch count at 43.

– Gabe Lacques

(Another) Michael Harris II catch starts big double-play

With two runners on one out in the bottom of the second, Braves center fielder Michael Harris II made a sliding catch on a sinking line drive hit by Johan Rojas, doubling Nick Castellanos off second base to end the inning.

Harris' crucial catch comes days after he started an 8-5-3 double play to seal the Braves' comeback win in Game 2 of the series.

Bryce Harper intentionally walked, Spencer Strider works out of jam

PHILADELPHIA — For at least one time through the order, the Atlanta Braves are heeding advice they probably should have taken a night earlier.

Don't let Bryce Harper beat you.

With first base open after a one-out, first inning Trea Turner double, Braves ace Spencer Strider pitched carefully around Harper, one night after the star belted a pair of home runs in a series-turning revenge game.

And after Strider ran the count to 3-0 with a changeup at Harper's eyes, the call was made - intentional walk.

Harper is 13-for-27 with five homers in seven postseason games against Atlanta the past two years. It's also possible he may never see a good pitch to hit the rest of this series.

As for Strider? He struck out Alec Bohm on a slider and got Bryson Stott on a fly to center to end the first. But he did expend 20 pitches in a must-win game where the Braves are hoping their ace gets to at least the seventh inning, as he did in Game 1.

– Gabe Lacques

Braves' record-setting offense quiet vs. Phillies in NLDS

PHILADELPHIA – In these early rounds of the playoffs, cold-hitting teams are eliminated before they know what hit them. Or more accurately, before they know why they couldn’t hit.

In Los Angeles, the 100-win Dodgers are home, pondering how Freddie Freeman and Mookie Betts were a combined 1-for-21 in a stunning sweep at the hands of the Arizona Diamondbacks. The Braves could join them, home in Atlanta, unless they can reverse an uneven offensive performance in Thursday night’s National League Division Series Game 4 against the Phillies.

And while the Braves succumbing to the Phillies – be it in Game 4 or 5 – wouldn’t be nearly as big an upset than Arizona over L.A., Atlanta’s offensive pedigree coming in was hard to ignore.

The Braves set a major league record for slugging percentage in a season (.501) and had five 30-homer hitters and seven 20-homer guys. But they’ve been held scoreless in 21 of 27 innings this series, including a Game 1 shutout and a 4-0 deficit in Game 2.

“I think it's just trying to get it to that next guy,” Braves third baseman Austin Riley said Thursday before Game 4. “I feel like that's where it's kind of what we've missed the last few games is just we get some guys on and then not being able to really get the ball rolling. And I think that's ultimately what we're missing.

“We just gotta get it to that next guy and continue to move down the line, because like I said, this lineup is deep. And anybody in this lineup can change a game one swing of a bat. It's just a matter of trusting ourselves and moving it down the line.”

So far, No. 9 hitter Michael Harris II is 0 for 11, while left fielder Eddie Rosario and catcher Travis d’Arnaud are a combined 2 for 13, though d’Arnaud’s Game 2 homer is a large reason the Braves are still alive.

Atlanta is still waiting for an extra-base hit from first baseman Matt Olson, who led the majors with 53 home runs, 139 RBI and a .604 slugging percentage.

“There is some sense of urgency,” says Riley on Thursday. “Obviously it's an elimination game. And we want to try to get this thing back to Atlanta.

“We just gotta go out there and stay inside ourselves. I think that's the easiest, best way.”

– Gabe Lacques

Spencer Strider stats vs. Phillies, Ranger Suarez vs. Braves

Atlanta's Game 4 starter Spencer Strider went 4-0 with a 2.42 ERA in four regular-season starts against the Phillies this year, striking out 38 in 26 innings.

Strider took the loss in Game 1 of tise series, giving up one earned run with eight strikeouts in seven innings of work. In Game 3 of last season's NLDS, the Phillies got to Strider, then a rookie, tagging him for five earned runs in 2 ⅓ innings.

Phillies lefty Ranger Suarez made one start in the regular season against the Braves, giving upone earned runs with seven strikeouts in six innings.

Suarez has a 3.00 ERA in 48 career regular-season innings against the Braves. Braves slugger Austin Riley has the best career numbers against Suarez of anyone on the Braves, going 6-for-18 with a home run.

Why did the Phillies-Braves game time change?

Thursday's Game 4 between the Phillies and Braves was originally scheduled for 6:07 p.m. ET, but it was moved back to 8:07 p.m. after the Arizona Diamondbacks finished off their sweep of the Los Angeles Dodgers – allowing the Phillies-Braves contest to occupy the prime-time slot.

What did Orlando Arcia say about Bryce Harper?

PHILADELPHIA – Game 2 ended with Bryce Harper getting caught off first base, his own daring baserunning and Braves center fielder Michael Harris’ catch all complicit in the first 8-5-3 double play in playoff history, capping Atlanta’s 5-4 triumph in stunning fashion.

Afterward, Braves shortstop Orlando Arcia dared revel in his opponent’s misfortune, watching a clubhouse replay of the sequence and reportedly saying, “Haha, attaboy, Harper!”

It wasn’t the biggest slight, nor one Arcia intended for public consumption.

No matter. Harper was, shall we say, Jordanesque with both his reception and response in Game 3 on Wednesday.

As Harper rounded the bases, he gave the standard salutes, to the bullpen as he rounded first and his family as he pulled into home. But along the way, as he crossed second base – the exact spot on the diamond that did him so wrong in Game 3 – he tilted his head and stared at Arcia, who, as fate would have it, happened to be staring down, fiddling with his glove.

Mad? No. Harper loves it all, from back-and-forths to caustic sports talk radio – he realizes the narrative only amplifies his significant accomplishments.

“It’s a super competitive game that we play,” he says. “And I enjoy commentary and things. I listen to WIP, and you hear a lot of stuff on there as well at times. And I just enjoy it.”

– Gabe Lacques

How to watch Phillies vs. Braves in NLDS Game 4: Time, TV channel, live stream

Thursday's game is scheduled for 8:07 p.m. and will air on TBS. The game can be streamed on TBS.com or fuboTV.

Phillies vs. Braves lineups, starting pitchers for NLDS Game 4

Braves: RHP Spencer Strider – 20-5, 3.86 ERA, 281 strikeouts regular season; 7 IP, 1 ER, 8 K in Game 1 loss

1. Ronald Acuña Jr. (R) RF

2. Ozzie Albies (S) 2B

3. Austin Riley (R) 3B

4. Matt Olson (L) 1B

5. Marcell Ozuna (R) DH

6. Sean Murphy (R) C

7. Kevin Pillar (R) LF

8. Orlando Arcia (R) SS

9. Michael Harris II (L) CF

Phillies: LHP Ranger Suarez – 4-6, 4.16 ERA; 3 ⅔ innings, 0 ER in wild-card series

1. Kyle Schwarber (L) DH

2. Trea Turner (R) SS

3. Bryce Harper (L) 1B

4. Alec Bohm (R) 3B

5. Bryson Stott (L) 2B

6. J.T. Realmuto (R) C

7. Nick Castellanos (R) RF

8. Brandon Marsh (L) LF

9. Johan Rojas (R) CF

Bryce Harper is home at Citizens Bank Park

PHILADELPHIA – In Year 5 with the Phillies, Bryce Harper’s love affair with the city is only just coalescing.

“I love this place. Flat out, I love this place,” says Harper. “There's nothing like coming into the Bank and playing in front of these fans. Blue collar mentality, tough, fighting every single day. I get chills, man. I get so fired up.

“I signed here for a reason, to do everything I could to bring back a trophy to this town, to Mr. Middleton, to this organization. I got chills thinking about it, because that's what it's all about. I love every single person in this organization, fighting, clawing every single day to get back to that moment.

“I could go on and on, man. There's nothing like playing here, and (backup catcher) Garrett Stubbs said it best, man. If you don't like it, you can get out, because we don't want you here, and we want to be able to come in each night and play our game, and they are with us in this every single step of the way.”

– Gabe Lacques

Diamondbacks' pool party caps off NLDS vs. Dodgers

The winner of the Phillies-Braves will take on the Diamondbacks in the NLCS, after Arizona stunned the Dodgers with a sweep.

For the second time in less than two weeks, the D-backs took their postgame party to the right field pool at Chase Field, doing cannonballs, this time after advancing to the NL Championship Series for the first time since 2007.

The infamous pool was cleaned ahead of Wednesday's 4-2 win in anticipation of a D-backs victory. And the team made it worthwhile.

In 2013, the Dodgers clinched the NL West with a win over the D-backs at Chase Field and celebrated by jumping into the pool to the dismay of the Diamondbacks, adding fuel to the rivalry. Since then, the D-backs have tried to prevent the Dodgers from doing it again.

This time around, Arizona got the last laugh. And it might not be the last of the pool parties this October.

– Scott Boeck

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Phillies top Braves to reach NLCS for second straight year: highlights