By: Matthew Mack

The Philadelphia Phillies clinched the National League Pennant with a 4-3 victory over the San Diego Padres four games to one in the National League Championship Series (NLCS).

In the rainy elements, Rhys Haskins got The Bank rocking with his two-run home run in the third inning. His fourth in the NLCS. The Padres responded with Juan Sooto with a solo homer to center to cut the lead in half. Both starting pitchers, Yu Darvish of the Padres and Zack Wheeler of the Phillies both locked horns in this pitcher’s duel that would see both pitchers get lifted in the seventh inning. Both men recorded six innings each. Darvish gave up four hits, two earned runs (the homer by Hoskins), five strikeouts, three walks. Wheeler gave up three hits, one run (the homer by Soto), eight strikeouts and no walks.

As the rain picked up, Josh Bell of the Padres scorched a line drive to left to score Jake Cronenworth in the seventh. Seranthony Domínguez threw three wild pitches in the seventh to bring in another run. When the damage was done, it was 3-2 Padres.

In the bottom of the eighth, J.T. Realmuto singled to start the inning. The very next batter was NLCS MVP Bryce Harper. What he did was worth paying his mega contract. Harper on a 2-2 count had “the swing of his life” has he launched a bomb that got the entire Delaware Valley going insane. His two run home run gave the Phillies the lead 4-3. Ranger Suárez came in with runners on 1st & 2nd with one. He got the job done to secure the win, his first postseason save of his career, and the National League Pennant for the first time since 2009.

As of this writing, the Phillies await the winner of the Houston Astros-New York Yankees ALCS. Game 1 of the World Series will be on Friday at either Yankee Stadium or Minute Maid Park. The Phillies in this postseason looks like a dangerous team with a lineup that you do not want to mess with. Aaron Nola, Wheeler, and Suárez are pitching solid if not lights out. Philadelphia may want to keep the Crisco and other cooking grease on tap if they want to see a parade down Broad Street.