Phillies-Marlins wild card playoff series: Gorgeous weather for Game 1 in Philadelphia
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Postseason baseball returns to Citizens Bank Park on Tuesday night, and the weather forecast can't get much better for October ball. It's going to be a fantastic night in Philadelphia for Game 1 of the National League Wild Card Series between the Phillies and Miami Marlins.
It's the first week of October, which means we could have very cold weather or we could have last week's rain. Wet weather is always a bummer for playoff baseball, but fortunately, it should be all clear in Philadelphia this week.
Philadelphia will have a stretch of gorgeous sunshine. During the day on Tuesday, it will feel much like Monday, with a full day of sun, blue skies and temperatures 10 degrees above average. The high could reach 82 in Philadelphia on Tuesday.
Sunset is for 6:40 p.m., so the first pitch at 8:08 p.m. will be fully dark in the city and 72 degrees. Temps will dip into the 60s throughout the game, falling to around 67 degrees by the game's end.
If you're planning on watching the game at home, you can leave the doors and windows open and let the breeze blow in. It will be a gorgeous night to sit outside. If you're going to the game, you can leave the jackets at home.
What to know for Phillies-Marlins
The Phillies and Marlins will play a best-of-three series in Philadelphia beginning Tuesday. Game 2 is set for 8:08 p.m. Wednesday, and, if necessary, Game 3 will be Thursday night at 8:08 p.m. Thursday's start time, if needed, could be flexed to 7:08 p.m.
Phillies ace Zack Wheeler will go head-to-head with Marlins lefty Jesús Luzardo in Game 1.
Luzardo beat the Phillies twice in the regular season, allowing five earned runs in 12 1/3 innings with 14 strikeouts.
The Phils lost the season series to Miami, 6-7, and went 2-4 at the Bank vs. the Marlins.
Phillies manager Rob Thomson said Monday his team isn't overlooking the Marlins.
"I think they understand how good the Marlins are," Thomson said. "They understand that the Marlins have beat us in the season series this year. "A lot of times during the course of the year, and when we do advanced meetings, my message, depending on who we're playing, to our players is that you can't take anyone lightly."
"You have to go out and you have to play and you have to perform," Thomson added. "When you get a team down, you have to put your foot on their neck and put them away. I think they've constantly got that message over the course of the year, and I do know they know how good this Marlins team is, so I'm not worried about them taking anybody lightly to tell you the truth."
The winner of the Phillies-Marlins series will advance to the NL Division Series against the Atlanta Braves.
The NLDS will begin on Saturday.
