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The Philadelphia Phillies were triumphant in a critical game three of the National League Championship Series against the San Diego Padres. The Phillies' home crowd was rocking all night long, especially after an energy boost from Kyle Schwarber's leadoff home run. The Padres had multiple defensive miscues that directly led to Phillies runs.
Winning the first of three home games in Philadelphia is huge for the Phillies. They now have all the momentum heading into the weekend and the Padres will have to respond. If the San Diego Padres cannot block out this loss and be ready for game four, they will be at a significant disadvantage.
The Padres fanbase was crushed by the loss that puts them in a difficult situation for the rest of the series.
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The San Diego Padres offense drew plenty of criticism for underperforming. Few teams would be able to win with only two runs scored, and the Padres are not one of those. The Philadelphia Phillies have had the more consistent offense thus far this series, and that is why they now have the NLCS lead.
Some fans still have hope that the Padres can turn this series around. They only need to win one game in Philadelphia to guarantee another home game. There is still a path to the World Series, but it is not easy for all to see right now.
Of course, some fans were just flat out inconsolable after this brutal loss.
The Philadelphia Phillies may have been the underdogs in this series, but they are certainly not playing like it right now.
The San Diego Padres need their stars to step up against the Philadelphia Phillies
Juan Soto and Manny Machado have been good this series, but they need to elevate to greatness. The depth of the Padres' offensive lineup has been an issue all season long and it is hurting their chances of winning now. If stars like Soto and Machado can get an early lead, the depth players can be more relaxed.
Playing with a lead and playing from behind entails two wildly different mentalities. If the Padres keep going down early in games on the road, they will have so much working against them. Whether it is strong defense or screaming fans, the Philadelphia Phillies are making good use of their home field advantage.
