How the Phillies took Game 1 against the Padres

Kyle Schwarber smashed one of the longest postseason home runs of the past decade, a second-deck shot off a guilty Yu Darvish, and the Phillies jumped on the Padres 2-0 Tuesday in Game 1 of the National League Championship Series in San Diego.

Schwarber seemed to be waiting for a cut-fastball from Darvish, San Diego's ace, when he turned on the sixth-inning pitch, sending it 488 feet into the right field seats.

His solo shot was the second-farthest playoff home run in the so-called Statcast Era, behind only Cubs catcher Willson Contreras, who hit a 490-foot homer in Game 4 of the 2017 NLCS homer against the Dodgers.

As Schwarber fell to one knee after a mighty swing, Darvish rolled his eyes knowing the ball was gone.

Bryce Harper also homered for the Phillies in the fourth inning, a 368-footer to left field. And while Darvish gave up just three hits over seven innings, he exited before the eighth inning in a two-run hole.

Phillies right-hander Zack Wheeler pitched even better, giving up just one hit over seven innings, a Wil Myers line drive single in the fifth. Wheeler forced six first-pitch outs among the 21 he recorded, as Padres hitters fired early in counts.

Wheeler, in his third season with the Phillies after five with the Mets, is pitching in his first postseason. And through three starts this month, he's given up just seven hits and three runs over 19 1/3 innings.

Against the Padres, Wheeler leaned on a power fastball that topped out at 99 mph, throwing it in more than half his pitches.

José Alvarado pitched a tense ninth inning for Philadelphia. He set down Austin Nola to lead off. Then after Jurickson Profar walked, a throwing error by Philadelphia third baseman Alec Bohm muffed a would-be game-inning double play on Juan Soto's limp chopper. But Alvarado forced Manny Machado to fly out and he struck out Josh Bell to end it.

Game 2 is scheduled for Wednesday at 4:30 p.m. ET/1:30 p.m. PT, with Phillies ace Aaron Nola going against Padres lefty Blake Snell.