The celebration has started, as the Phillies silenced the Cardinals 2-0 on Saturday night to complete the two-game sweep in the Wild Card Series for the franchise’s first playoff series win since the 2010 NLDS.
Aaron Nola got plenty of love in the locker room after the clinching win, and for good reason. The righty, who dazzled in his final regular season start to clinch a playoff spot for the Phils, tossed 6.2 shutout innings, allowing just four hits and one walk.
Bryce Harper, playing in his first postseason series with Philadelphia, blasted the only run the Phillies would need in the form of a solo home run to put Philly ahead 1-0.
After needing nearly all 162 games to lock up a playoff spot, the Phillies used a miraculous ninth inning comeback in game one and a dominant pitching performance in game two to make quick work of the Cardinals.
It came down to a tension-filled ninth inning with the winning run at the plate, but the bullpen did just enough to lock down one of the biggest wins in recent franchise memory.