Bryce Harper and the hammering Philadelphia Phillies clearly are enjoying a home-field edge at Citizens Bank Park.
More like a homer field advantage.
Harper started the Phillies’ World Series record-tying barrage of five home runs Tuesday night in a 7-0 romp over the Houston Astros for a 2-1 lead.
The rout boosted the Phils’ mark to 6-0 at home this postseason, fueled by the 17 homers they’ve hit in those wins.
“It’s tough to play here. I can’t imagine what it’s like for the Astros,” Phillies outfielder Nick Castellanos said.
“They just have zero breathing room,” he said. “And that’s a good thing.”
The Phillies are 22-9 all-time at the Bank in the postseason since hosting their first playoff game there in 2007.
“The fan base, I mean, it’s just so much fun. They showed up tonight knowing that we needed ’em, and they continue to do that,” Harper said.
Alec Bohm hit the 1,000th home run in World Series history Tuesday night, and the Phillies quickly went to work on launching the next thousand.
Harper, Bohm and Brandon Marsh teed off early against Houston starter Lance McCullers Jr. in Game 3 of the 118th World Series. Kyle Schwarber and Rhys Hoskins hit back-to-back drives to finish McCullers in the fifth inning and make it 7-0.
The five home runs tied a World Series record done three previous times – by the 1928 Murderers’ Row New York Yankees when Babe Ruth hit three and Lou Gehrig also connected, by the Bash Brothers-led 1989 Oakland A’s in the first game after the Bay Area earthquake, and by the sign stealing scandal-tainted Astros in 2017.
McCullers became the first pitcher in postseason history to get tagged for five home runs in a game.
“I don’t really get hit around like that, so I was a little bit in disbelief,” he said.
Cristian Javier pitches next for the Astros in Game 4 on Wednesday night. He won his last start, holding the New York Yankees to one hit in 5 1/3 shutout innings in the Bronx during the AL Championship Series.
Aaron Nola starts for the Phillies. One of their aces, he was done after giving up five runs in 4 1/3 innings in the World Series opener.