Sawt Falasteen - Phillies pound Diamondbacks to take series lead

Big-hitting left fielder Schwarber pounced in the third and sixth innings as the Phillies took a commanding 2-0 lead in their best-of-seven National League Championship Series in Philadelphia.

The winner of the series will face either the Houston Astros or Texas Rangers in the World Series later this month.

On Tuesday's evidence, few would bet against the Phillies advancing to the Fall Classic after another dynamic display of hitting.

Shortstop Trea Turner kicked off the rout in the first inning, crushing a 421-foot solo shot to left center field off Arizona starting pitcher Merrill Kelly to make it 1-0.

Schwarber's first homer of the night in the third inning made it 2-0, and another off Kelly in the sixth inning put the Phillies into a 3-0 lead.

The slew of home runs were the latest in an explosive postseason for Philadelphia, who have rattled off 15 homers in their past four games -- the most by any team in postseason history in a four-game span.

The scoreboard kept ticking over with J.T. Realmuto's double in the bottom of the sixth allowing Turner and Bryson Stott to score for a 5-0 lead.

Realmuto then scored after a Brandon Marsh double to leave the Phillies 6-0 up heading into the seventh inning.

Alec Bohm's double in the seventh drove in two runs for Schwarber and Bryce Harper, leaving the home side 8-0 up.

With Arizona's batting line-up unable to trouble Phillies starter Aaron Nola, victory always looked assured, and Philadelphia added two more runs in the bottom of the seventh to complete the rout.

Z.AlNajjar--SF-PST