Phillies Get Outdueled in Game 3 Loss of NLCS

Game 3 of the National League Championship Series was a throwback to what playoff baseball normally feels like.

It was a pitchers duel between Ranger Suarez of the Philadelphia Phillies and Brandon Pfaadt of the Arizona Diamondbacks, then a walk-off single by Ketel Marte in late inning drama.

It's fitting that their best hitter delivered in the most important moment for the team with the bases loaded.

Now, the NLCS is back to being competitive.

With the Phillies offense red hot and the Diamondbacks capable of putting up runs quickly, both pitchers delivered absolute gems to start the game.

Suarez went 5 1/3 innings, allowing three hits and striking out seven.

Pfaadt went 5 2/3 innings, allowing two hits and striking out nine.

Arizona's manager Torey Lovullo was met with boos when he strolled out to the mound to take out his young starter.

His decision to pull the dominant pitcher could have been disastrous if the Philadelphia put up runs on the reliever.

But it wasn't until the seventh inning when the Phillies struck first on a wild pitch that Bryce Harper was able to score on.

The Diamondbacks answered right away in their frame of the seventh.

They jumped all over Phillies' rookie pitcher Orion Kerkering who had been lights out so far in the postseason.

Tommy Pham singled as the first batter and was replaced by pinch runner Alek Thomas to get more speed on the base path.

That decision proved vital as Lourdes Gurriel Jr. doubled as the next batter to score Thomas from first base.

With the game tied 1-1, Kerkering had to face another batter who singled to right field.

Philadelphia brought their shut down reliever Jose Alvarado into the game who did just that, inducing a double play and getting a ground out to end the inning.

But during the bottom of the ninth inning against Craig Kimbrel, Arizona was able to get their first win of the series off the closer who had been perfect on save opportunities.

The Diamondbacks are now back in the series, trailing 2-1 with two more games at home.

Game 4 will take place on Friday.