LCS Sunday live updates, takeaways: Phillies clinch! Can Astros sweep?

The 2022 MLB playoffs could be down to just two teams after today.

The Philadelphia Phillies punched their ticket to the World Series — their first appearance since 2009 — in front a home crowd. Can the Houston Astros do the same in the Bronx with a sweep of the New York Yankees?

A potential double-elimination Sunday began with the Phillies beating the San Diego Padres 4-3 in Game 5 of the National League Championship Series, while the Yankees look to avert a sweep as they battle Houston in Game 4 of the American League Championship Series.

Follow the action below all day long with start times, pitching matchups and starting lineups as they’re announced, followed by in-game updates and takeaways after each game is concluded.

More: Who has the NLCS edge? Preview, predictions for Padres-Phillies | Who will rule the ALCS? Preview, predictions for Yankees-Astros | Bracket, results and more

Houston Astros at New York Yankees

Astros lead series 3-0

Rizzo with a second RBI

Anthony Rizzo hits a single to bring the Yankees even with the Astros at 4. He has driven in two of New York’s four runs on the day.

Houston tacks on another

Astros erase Yankees’ lead

Rookie Jeremy Pena ties the game with a three-run home run.

New York adds on

Rizzo drives in an RBI with a double down the third-base line.

Yankees strike first

New York scores two runs in the bottom of the first inning to take an early 2-0 lead — the team’s first lead in the ALCS since the second inning of Game 1.

Our picks

Astros 4, Yankees 2: The Yankees’ season ends on a disappointing and uncompetitive note as the Astros continue their postseason undefeated streak off a solid all-around performance from the offense and a strong start from McCullers. — Joon Lee

Astros 7, Yankees 2: It’s a not-very-analytical take, but the Yankees’ body language was very zombie-like on Saturday. They look done. — Bradford Doolittle

Astros 2, Yankees 1: Not even Cortes on full rest can stop the juggernaut that is Houston, with McCullers Jr. the latest to silence New York’s bats. — Jeff Passan

Phillies win series 4-1

Harper named NLCS MVP

Bryce Harper has a message to the city of Philly:

Harper and actor Miles Teller, a Phillies superfan, celebrate after the game.

Phillies celebrate winning NL pennant

Game 5 takeaways

Wow. Wow. Wow. Bryce Harper is going to the World Series, and he did it with a home run to remember. You can debate whether Robert Suarez or Josh Hader should have been pitching to Harper with the Padres leading 3-2 and no outs in the bottom of the eighth. Maybe asking Hader to get six outs was asking too much considering the Padres would have needed to win two more games. I’m not sure it would have mattered. This is Harper’s team, Harper’s ballpark and most definitely Harper’s postseason. After fouling off two two-strike pitches from Suarez, Harper connected with a 98 mph fastball and drilled it on a line into the left-center-field stands for one of the most dramatic home runs in Phillies history.

The Phillies signed Harper back in 2019 with the hopes of a day like this. It took a few years — and it took the expanded playoffs for the Phillies to even get to October — but they’re here and Harper has been the man, the face of the franchise, the face of October. He’s hitting .419 with five home runs, slugging .907, and sending Citizens Bank Park into a ridiculous crescendo of noise. And remember — after coming back from a broken thumb in August, he had struggled with his power stroke, with just three home runs in 35 games. He’s hot now, however, and it’s awesome.

(And no, we’re not going to talk about that inexcusable one-out sacrifice bunt in the top of the ninth.) — David Schoenfield

King of Philly with a two-run blast

Harper gives the Phillies a one-run lead in the bottom of the eighth that sends Citizens Bank Park into a frenzy.

The Padres’ go-ahead steal

Jose Azocar steals home on a Seranthony Dominguez wild pitch to put the Padres ahead 3-2.

We have a tie game!

Josh Bell evens it up at 2 with a double.

Wheeler’s dealing

Zack Wheeler strikes out Manny Machado for his eighth of the game.

Soto gets Padres on the board

Hoskins crushes his fourth homer of NLCS

Schwarber’s there for his teammate

Our picks

Phillies 3, Padres 2: Darvish will pitch his heart out but Philadelphia has that destiny look — at least to win the NL pennant. It will survive a tight, low-scoring affair — the exact opposite of Game 4 — and win the series with a tight win on Sunday. — Jesse Rogers

Phillies 5, Padres 2: The Phillies are 4-0 at home in the postseason and they look like they’re ready to pop some champagne. Wheeler has been outstanding over his three playoff starts and top relievers Jose Alvarado and Seranthony Dominguez didn’t have to pitch in Game 4 after a little extra workload in Game 3 (a combined 61 pitches), so everything is lining up for a boisterous celebration at Citizens Bank Park. — Schoenfield