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Kyle Schwarber makes MLB postseason history with performance in Game 1 of NLCS

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With one swing of the bat on Monday night in Game 1 of the NLCS, Kyle Schwarber made postseason MLB history. (Kyle Ross-USA TODAY Sports)

After struggling for most of the postseason, former Indiana baseball standout Kyle Schwarber made MLB postseason history on Monday night.

Schwarber, who was just 4-of-25 in the postseason before Monday, took the first pitch in the bottom of the first inning and hit his first homer of the 2023 postseason.

Not only did it get the Phillies started off on a good note in Game 1, it also made postseason history. That homer broke a three-way tie for most leadoff home runs in a postseason career. Schwarber is now at four all-time. It broke a tie with Derek Jeter and Jimmy Rollins, former long-time Philadelphia Philly.

The Phillies went on to win 5-3 against the Arizona Diamondbacks.

“You know, that’s what he does at the start of the game,” Phillies manager Rob Thomson said postgame of Kyle Schwarber. “He can put the other team on their heels a little bit and get the lead.”

Schwarber’s home run was a no-doubt home run as soon as it left the bat. It had an exit velocity of 117.1 mph, the fourth hardest-hit postseason home run since tracking by StatCast began in 2015.

Schwarber’s cold streak dated back even further than the postseason. Monday’s home run was just his third since September 18th.

“You couldn’t tell if he was 0-for-4 or 4-for-4 at any spot or moment,” Bryce Harper added. “We know he’s going to break out. We know what type of player he is.”

This season, Kyle Schwarber has been nearly home run or bust when at the plate. He has 47 home runs, second in the entire MLB, with 104 RBIs (11th), but has just a .197 average.

Game 2 is Tuesday night at 8:07 pm ET.

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Alec Lasley is the owner of Hoosier Illustrated, a comprehensive site covering news, updates and recruiting for Indiana University athletics. Alec has covered Indiana for six years and is a credentialed media member. He has previously worked for both Rivals and 247Sports.

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