Keys to victories:
Ace Zac Gallen. He grew up 11 miles from the ballpark, but this isn’t a normal trip home, it’s a “business trip.” Gallen joked he’s playing for free with all the tickets he got for friends and family.
The matchup is Phillies’ Zach Wheeler, who has a ton of postseason experience, against Gallen, who’s making his third career playoff start. Gallen has set the tone for the D-backs. 2-0 with an ERA near 3 so in the postseason. The Phillies lefty heavy lineup will be tough, everyone has the ability to leave the ballpark, but Gallen is battled tested. He’s been one of the best pitchers in baseball this season, and in the biggest moments, the D-backs have leaned on their ace.
Catcher Gabriel Moreno good to go for NLCS after hand injury and he will start.
“I can't tell you how grateful we were to have him and have him step into that role,” said manager Torey Lovullo. “Because of Gabi's presence, we were able to give him the information we needed to, let him absorb it. And it was a slow process for him to learn what it took to be the starting catcher for the Arizona Diamondbacks. He became a better leader. He became a better receiver. The offense came around. Once he got comfortable with his surroundings, and then catching and throwing, you really can't run on him.”
Which team is hotter? Both teams not giving each other bulletin board material – just respect.
“They're playing a lot like us right now,” Phillies catcher J.T. Realmuto said. “They're hot. That's what the postseason is all about. You get in a rhythm. You get confidence. You get momentum, and that's something that they've really played with this postseason. Their lineup is really deep. They have really good right-handed hitters. They have really good left-handed hitters. They hit for power. They hit for average. They walk. They take their walks. Most of them are stealing bases. It’s definitely a challenging lineup to navigate through, but the most daunting thing about them right now is how much confidence they're playing with.”
“It's not luck, but we're both playing really, really quality baseball at the moment,” said D-backs first baseman Christian Walker. “I'm looking forward to competing with these guys. We've had some good games against them this year. And it's a great group of guys -- looking forward to battling against them.”
Sports
Watch more of the latest sports videos on the 12 News YouTube channel. Don’t forget to subscribe!
Arizona sports
The city of Phoenix is home to five major professional sports league teams; The NFL's Arizona Cardinals, NBA's Phoenix Suns, WNBA’s Phoenix Mercury, MLB's Arizona Diamondbacks and NHL's Arizona Coyotes.
The Cardinals have made the State Farm Stadium in Glendale their home turf and the Footprint Center in downtown Phoenix is home to both the Suns and the Mercury. The Indoor Football League’s Arizona Rattlers also play at the Footprint. Phoenix has a soccer team with the USL's Phoenix Rising FC.
The Valley hosts multiple major sporting events on a yearly basis, including college football's Fiesta Bowl and Cactus Bowl; the PGA Tour’s highest-attended event, the Waste Management Phoenix Open; NASCAR events each spring and fall; and Cactus League Spring Training.
Get to know 12News
At 12News, we listen, we seek, we solve for all Arizonans. 12News is the Phoenix NBC affiliate owned by TEGNA Inc.
12News is built on a legacy of trust. We serve more than 4.6 million people every month on air, on our 12News app, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Twitter, and 12News.com.
We are committed to serving all of the Valley's communities, because we live here, too.
12News is the Official Home of the Arizona Cardinals and the proud recipient of the 2018 Rocky Mountain Emmy Award for Overall Excellence.
Stay connected by downloading the 12News app, available on Google Play and the Apple Store. Catch up on any stories you missed on the show on the 12News Youtube channel. Read content curated for our Spanish-speaking audience on the Español page. Or see us on the 12News Plus app available on Roku or Amazon Fire.