Phillies one win away from the World Series after 10-6 victory over the Padres

The Phillies’ Jean Segura stepped on top of a green bin to the left of the dugout stairs and draped his arms over the railing in the bottom of the fifth inning on Saturday. They were trailing the Padres 6-4 in Game 4 of the National League Championship Series, but there was anticipation brewing. Segura didn’t want to miss any of the action.

After Kyle Schwarber walked, Rhys Hoskins launched a sinker 417 feet to left-center field for a game-tying, two-run home run. Segura leapt over the railing, and ran onto the dirt, waving Hoskins and Schwarber home. He waited at the top of the steps to greet them, and then he went back to his post.

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He wasn’t there for very long. J.T. Realmuto took another walk, and Bryce Harper lined a double to center field to give the Phillies a one-run lead. Again, Segura went flying over the railing, and again, waved his teammate home.

One at-bat later, Nick Castellanos singled to center field to drive in Harper. Segura was delirious, and so were the 45,467 fans filling Citizens Bank Park who celebrated a 10-6 victory that gave the Phillies a 3-1 series lead to move one win away from the World Series. Game 5 is Sunday at 2:37 p.m. with ace Zack Wheeler taking the mound looking to close out the Padres.

Everyone knew that Saturday night was not going to be easy on the Phillies. Game 4 was supposed to be a bullpen day, and the Phillies were already down their best reliever, Seranthony Domínguez, after he had thrown a six-out save in Game 3 on Friday night.

Despite all that, a win felt inevitable, and the fans were going to do anything possible to make it happen. Starter Bailey Falter, who hadn’t thrown a pitch since early October, retired his first two batters in the first inning, but gave up a solo home run to Manny Machado. Falter lasted ⅔ of an inning, allowing four earned runs.

He received a spattering of boos as he walked off the field. But then the fans started to cheer, almost as if to send a message of support to the team. Reliever Connor Brogdon came in after Falter, allowing a single that scored the inherited runner on second base for a 4-0 Padres lead. But Brogdon struck out Trent Grisham to end the inning, and received a standing ovation.

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The Phillies’ win wasn’t the prettiest, but it didn’t have to be. If anything, it spoke to the resiliency of this team. They dug themselves into a 4-0 hole in the first inning, and steadily climbed their way out of it. They hit four home runs.Their bullpen did just enough to get by. After Brad Hand allowed a two-run home run to Juan Soto in the fifth inning, pitcher Ranger Suarez stood up in the dugout and waved his arms to rally the crowd.

He did it for every Phillies reliever from that point forward. When Noah Syndergaard came in for Hand in the sixth, and needed a big out, Suarez implored the crowd to start cheering. When Robertson came in for Syndergaard an inning later, Suarez did the same, and Robertson struck out Bell.

It was truly a team effort, and not just by the players on the postseason roster. And as of 11:17 p.m., Saturday night, the Phillies were one win away from the World Series.