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Phillies being let down by stars amid 2-0 NLDS deficit 
Philadelphia Phillies designated hitter Kyle Schwarber. Eric Hartline-Imagn Images

Phillies being let down by stars amid 2-0 NLDS deficit 

The Philadelphia Phillies blew a massive opportunity to tie the Los Angeles Dodgers 1-1 heading into Game 3 of the NLDS. After managing just a single hit through seven innings, the Phillies mounted a ninth-inning comeback that ended up falling just short as the Dodgers held on for a 4-3 win.

The Phillies were unable to capitalize on a strong start by Jesus Luzardo, who gave them six strong innings, as one of the team's key shortcomings, the offense, was once again an issue. 

The Phillies need their 1-3 hitters to wake up

Trea Turner, Kyle Schwarber and Bryce Harper are a combined 2-for-21 (.095) with 11 strikeouts in the first two games of the National League Division Series while failing to produce even one extra-base hit.

The Phillies still have a chance to win the series, with shortstop Trea Turner saying the Phillies won't "quit until they tell us to go home." Turner has the lone RBI among the Phillies' top three hitters, which came in the eighth inning of Game 2. 

“We’ve got nothing to lose now,” Trea Turner said when speaking to MLB.com’s Todd Zolecki. “It’s not over. As much as people like to say that it’s not over, we’re not going to quit until they tell us to go home. We’ve got a great team. We’ve won three games in a row before. We’ve swept good teams. We’ve played good baseball. We’ve got to find that. We’ve got to find it quick.”

Aaron Nola and Ranger Suarez need to hold firm as the offense tries to wake up

Trying to win three straight games is a tall order for the Phillies to pull off, but it's not impossible. According to Zolecki, teams that won the first two games on the road have “won 16 of 18 series (88.9 percent), including 12 sweeps,” with the 2015 Toronto Blue Jays being the last team to defy the odds. 

Getting away from home and having the extra day off could help the Phillies reset and get back on track. Aaron Nola will take the mound for the Phillies to start Game 3 with Ranger Suarez to piggyback off him, per Rob Thomson in his postgame meeting with the media. Nola has pitched well in the NLDS, with a 2-1 record and a 3.24 ERA in 16.2 innings. Suarez has been even better, boasting a 1.10 ERA in 16.1 innings. 

If the Phillies are to come back and win the series against the Dodgers, Harper, Schwarber and Turner will need to get going and start producing at the top of the lineup. 

Zachary Cariola

My name is Zachary Cariola and I have been a sports fan for as long as I can remember. My areas of expertise are MLB, NBA, and NFL. You can find my other work on Southside Showdown from FanSided and at Chicitysports where I cover all Chicago sports. When not watching sports, I love spending time with my family and learning history. 

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