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We all expected an exciting National League Championship Series between the Padres and Phillies. Through two games, both teams have delivered.

Philadelphia punched first in Game 1 on Tuesday afternoon as Zack Wheeler’s seven scoreless innings were too much for San Diego to overcome. However, the Padres fought right back in Game 2 on Wednesday, scoring seven unanswered runs at one point en route to an 8-5 win at Petco Park to even the series at 1-1.

Now the series shifts to Philadelphia, which will host its first NLCS game since Oct. 21, 2010, against the Giants. And it’s a big one. In all best-of-seven series that were tied 1-1, the Game 3 winner has captured the series 67 of 97 times (69%). The Phillies are 2-0 at home this postseason, while the Padres are 3-2 on the road.

Teams that win the first two games in a best-of-seven postseason series have history on their side, prevailing in 74 of 88 instances. The 14 teams that overcame those long odds have proved, time and again, that no two-game lead is safe.

A decade ago, if the Phillies hadn’t taken a flier on a young right-hander with an electric fastballand a high ceiling, Luis García wouldn’t be pitching at all.

Optioned to Triple-A early in the season, José Alvarado returned to post a 1.66 ERA from June 12 on — and earn the admiration of Phillies fans.

Here’s what a ball-strike challenge system in Major League Baseball could look like.

The All-Star outfielder has still got it at 37 years old. He went 4-for-4 with a towering home run in Dominican Winter League action the other night.

MLB Network has live coverage and analysisstarting at 6 p.m. ET and returning after Padres vs. Phillies.

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