Phillies at Diamondbacks NLCS Game 5 Preview

The Diamondbacks host their final home game of the National League Championship Series in Chase Field today at 5:07 P.M. Arizona. Tied 2-2 in the series, a victory today would give them two chances punch a ticket to the World Series back in the enemy territory of Citizen's Bank Park.

Pitching Matchup

The game features a rematch of aces Zac Gallen and Zack Wheeler. The Phillies hit Gallen hard in Game 1, scoring five runs in five innings, including three solo homers in the first seven batters. Wheeler held the D-backs scoreless for five innings before giving up a two-run homer in the 6th to Geraldo Perdomo.

Gallen is 2-1 in his three postseason starts, but that last outing ballooned his postseason ERA to 4.96 in 16.1 innings. He's walked seven, struck out 12 and given up four homers. Gallen was great at home this season however, going 12-3 with a 2.47 ERA.

Torey Lovullo talked about expectations for Gallen today. "Just to get on a good run and get on a good Zac run. Let us start Zac watching". He also indicated that while he hopes to let Gallen go a little longer than usual, considering he had to use eight relievers last night in a bullpen game, he's not going to abuse his All-Star starter. He said he wouldn't ask him to got 115-120 pitches or anything like that. Gallen's season high was 110 pitches on June 4th and 107 pitches on September 8th in his first ever complete game shutout. So don't expect him to throw any more than that.

"If I get some news that we have some down relievers, which I doubt we will, my mindset is everybody is going to be available. Then I might ask Zac to go a little bit extra. But I'll try to do the best I can to help us win the game."

Wheeler has been more dominant in the postseason thus far. In three starts, Wheeler is 2-1 with a 2.37 ERA in 19 innings. He has a struck out 26 batters and walked just one. Phillies manager Rob Thomson will also try to squeeze a little extra length out of his ace starter, as his bullpen has also worked a lot this series and there are several fatigued relievers struggling to the throw strikes the last couple of games.

Lineups

There is a fairly large shakeup in the D-backs lineup today as Pavin Smith has replaced Tommy Pham at DH against the hard throwing right hander Wheeler. Pham is just 1-for-13 with six strikeouts in this NLCS and has been battling turf toe since late September, limiting his speed and mobility. The left hand batting Smith has pinch hit for Pham a couple of times, and is 3-for-4 in the series. Torey Lovullo addressed at some length Pham's reduced playing time during today's pre game press conference.

"It's not a popularity contest for me. I have to make tough decisions. That's why I'm put in this seat. So I have to do what's best for the team, and I have to put 26 ahead of one, two guys that aren't used to having things done like that."

"He's a competitor. Tommy wants to be out there from the first pitch until the last, and he never wants to come off the field. I respect that. I respect Tommy Pham, and I love him. I think at the end of the day, he understands that if it's somebody else besides him for right now in the small little snapshot of where we're trying to get to, he's going to go out there and root on his teammates."

"I know he was upset yesterday. I know he was upset about the decision that were made involving him, but like I said, at the end of the day, I have to do everything I can to win a game."

The Phillies are going with their same set lineup. Finding a way to keep Kyle Schwarber in the ballpark has to be a priority. He is 5-for-16 with four homers and a double this series. Schwarber's 19 postseason homers are tied for the 5th most all time, and most by a left-handed batter.

Pitching Matchup

Lineups

Zac Gallen Aims to Rebound From Poor Game 1 Start