PHILADELPHIA — After seizing momentum with a victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks in Game 5 of the National League Championship Series, the Philadelphia Phillies return home with a chance to clinch a second straight World Series berth tonight in Citizens Bank Park.
The game will be televised on TBS. The first pitch is scheduled for 5:07 p.m.
Now up 3-2 in the best-of-7 NLCS, the Phillies will have Aaron Nola on the mound tonight against Arizona. Nola went 12-9 with a 4.46 earned run average in the regular season, but has found another level in the playoffs. In three postseason starts, Nola has gone 3-0 with a 0.96 ERA and racked up 19 strikeouts in 18 2/3 innings of work.
In his last start, Nola threw six scoreless innings in the Phillies' 10-0 victory in Game 2, limiting Arizona to three hits while striking out seven.
The D-backs will counter with righthander Merrill Kelly, who was torched for four runs on three hits and three walks in 5 2/3 innings in Game 2.
Philadelphia has gone 6-0 at home in the playoffs thus far, outscoring opponents 39-8. They defeated the D-backs 5-3 in Game 1, and rolled to a 10-0 blowout in Game 2.
The raucous Philly fans have given the Phillies one of the best home-field advantages in baseball. Since 2007, the Phils have a 28-11 record in Citizens Bank Park, a .718 winning percentage.
The Phillies will have two chances to finish the series at home. Should they falter tonight, Game 7 will be played at 8:07 p.m. Tuesday at CBP.
Historically, MLB teams with a 3-2 lead in a best-of-seven series have won the series more than 70% of the time.