Bryce Harper, Kyle Schwarber and Nick Castellanos homered to lead the Philadelphia Phillies to a 5-3 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks in Game 1 of the NL Championship Series. Zack Wheeler struck out eight in six innings to help the defending National League champions win their seventh Game 1 of the last two postseasons. Arizona was handed its first loss of the postseason after ripping off five straight wins against the Brewers and Dodgers. Game 2 in the best-of-seven playoff is Tuesday night.
onah Heim homered, Nathan Eovaldi pitched six effective innings and the Texas Rangers beat Framber Valdez and Houston Astros 5-4 for a 2-0 lead in the AL Championship Series. Adolis García, Mitch Garver and Nathaniel Lowe each hit an RBI single during Texas’ four-run first inning against Valdez, and José Leclerc closed it out for the Rangers after Yordan Alvarez powered an Astros rally. Eovaldi struck out nine, including two in a row after Houston loaded the bases with none out in the fifth. He was charged with three runs and five hits in his third win this postseason. The Rangers improved to 7-0 in the playoffs, including six wins on the road.