NLCS: Phillies halfway to World Series after crushing Arizona 10-0 in Game 2

Kyle Schwarber is crushing postseason homers at such a rate that he fits right in with Mickey Mantle and Reggie Jackson.

The tattooed slugger does it all while giving the Philadelphia Phillies a shot at the franchise’s first World Series championship since 2008.

“If you want to get paid, you have to win baseball games,” he said. “That goes a long way.”

This also applies to his Schwarbombs – especially in October.

Schwarber hit two of Philadelphia’s three solo home runs off Merrill Kelly, and the sweet-swinging Phillies defeated the Arizona Diamondbacks 10-0 on Tuesday night for a 2-0 lead in the NL Championship Series.

Trea Turner also connected and JT Realmuto had two hits and three RBIs as Philadelphia improved to 7-1 in the playoffs, moving closer to a second straight World Series appearance. Aaron Nola threw three-hit ball and struck out seven in six innings.

Game 3 is Thursday at Chase Field. The Texas Rangers also have a 2-0 lead over the Houston Astros in the ALCS entering Wednesday’s game.

“I think this is the lineup we envisioned all season,” Realmuto said. “I just think we’re clicking at the right time right now.”

It was another loud night in Philly when Kelly panicked after saying the fans at Citizens Bank Park couldn’t possibly be louder than the fans he heard cheering for Team USA in the World Baseball Classic.

Not just any classic game. The one in May when Turner hit a grand slam for the United States, sending them to the semi-finals of the tournament.

“I obviously haven’t heard this spot on the court yet,” Kelly said prior to Game 1, “but I would be very surprised if it trumped that (WBC) game in Miami.”

As the kids say: challenge accepted.

Kelly, a 12-game winner this season, was voraciously booed during the pregame introductions and his walk to the mound, a sort of “we’ll show you” atmosphere from 45,412 Phillies diehards determined to keep the ballpark October to shake things up again.

How loud?

“AC/DC concert level,” Turner said loudly before Game 2.

Phillies manager Rob Thomson said a rival coach told him last season that a playoff game in Philly was “four hours of hell,” and Turner sent a charge through the delirious crowd when he clocked a four-seam fastball to left center field for a 1-0 lead in the first.

“It was definitely loud,” Turner said.

Kelly said his comments were taken out of context and “made into something more than it should have been.”

“I knew from the start that the energy would be loud,” he said. “I knew these fans bring a lot of energy.”

Noisy fans are great. This also applies to the long ball. Schwarber’s home runs in the third and sixth were Philadelphia’s 14th and 15th home runs in the last four games as the Phillies continue to charge their way through October.

However, pitching remains the ultimate decision maker.

Nola, who will be eligible for free agency after the World Series, has only made the numbers fatter for his upcoming contract. Nola, the longest-tenured Phillie, has won all three postseason starts and struck out 19. His ERA was 0.96.

Nola pitched seven shutout innings in the Wildcard Series against Miami and struck out nine against the Braves in the NLDS. Against Corbin Carroll, Christian Walker and the Diamondbacks, Nola was flawless again.

“He’s really just unpredictable, leads the way and can put them aside when he’s ahead,” Realmuto said.

The Phillies showed their skills to keep Arizona in check. Bryce Harper made a diving stab first to get Carroll in the third. Alec Bohm made a diving foul on third and made a one-hop throw to catch Gabriel Moreno in the second.

Kelly was booed off the mound when he was lifted for Joe Mantiply in the sixth, leaving a runner on base. Bryson Stott singled and Realmuto followed with a two-run double. After a two-out walk, Brandon Marsh added an RBI double for a 6-0 lead.

At that point, there was no point in stretching Nola, not when the Phillies could save him for a start later in the series — or possibly his next one against a Texas team.

“I feel like we definitely like our opportunities,” Nola said.