Phillies 2 wins from advancing with their stud starters rested and ready

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The Phillies are two wins away from the NLCS with their pair of stud starting pitchers going the next two games.

Zack Wheeler has thrown 14⅓ straight scoreless innings.

Aaron Nola has also thrown 14⅓ straight scoreless innings.

Wheeler starts Game 2 Wednesday afternoon at 4:37 p.m. on FOX opposite Braves 21-game winner Kyle Wright.

Nola will start Game 3 Friday at Citizens Bank Park, another 4:37 p.m. start time.

Wheeler has been electric since returning from a month-long stint on the injured list. After pitching on August 20, forearm tendinitis shelved him until September 21. Some surmised it could be a blessing in disguise, getting Wheeler some time off before the stretch run. He did, after all, lead the majors in innings and pitches thrown in 2021. 

He's sure looked rejuvenated. Wheeler's fastball velocity has been at its best -- 99 mph early in games -- and he's allowed just one run in 21⅓ innings since returning.

Wheeler and Nola were both excellent in their postseason debuts against the Cardinals over the weekend. While both are mild-mannered and looked like they'd done it a dozen times, Wheeler isn't treating these starts like they're the same as a turn on the bump in mid-July.

"You're on a big stage and these games really matter," he said Tuesday prior to the Phillies' Game 1 win at Truist Park.

Catcher J.T. Realmuto called Wheeler's stuff "explosive" after the Game 1 shutdown in St. Louis.

"His stuff was explosive, really from the start," Realmuto said. "I could tell in the bullpen when he was warming up, his body felt good, he was excited, he had the adrenaline, obviously. When he's got his stuff going like that -- he's able to throw the ball in the strike zone and pound the zone and get ahead of guys -- he's really tough to hit.

"It was very impressive. Almost expected though. He's been nails for us. In the biggest moments of the year when we've needed him most, that's the guy he's been."

Wheeler has dominated the Braves since joining the Phillies. In 10 starts against them, he has a 2.04 ERA and 0.93 WHIP with 77 strikeouts, just nine walks and five home runs allowed in 66⅓ innings.

Key Braves hitters have struggled with him. Dansby Swanson is 6 for 37 (.162) with 13 strikeouts. Ronald Acuña Jr. and Austin Riley have a combined .262 on-base percentage in 65 plate appearances. Travis d'Arnaud has given him the most trouble, going 7 for 15 with a homer and two walks.

The Phillies are feeling good about their chances. Their top two arms are rested and ready to go and they're playing like a confident team with nothing to lose. One thing's for sure: They're not going to be intimidated by the Braves. The Phils are 35-35 in their last 70 games against the Braves dating back to the end of 2018, when Atlanta began its run of five straight division titles. The Braves are 96 games over .500 against the rest of the league over that span.

"Anytime you have Wheeler and Nola going, I think you feel good," manager Rob Thomson said after Tuesday's win.

The Phillies have already gained valuable postseason experience, winning their three games by coming back in the ninth inning, executing on the mound and in the field to shut a team out and building a big early lead they made stand up.

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