Zack Wheeler struck out 10 over eight effective innings as the host Philadelphia Phillies posted a 4-0 win over the San Diego Padres on Monday.
Wheeler (8-3) allowed six hits without a walk before Tanner Banks pitched the ninth. Nick Castellanos homered and J.T. Realmuto had two hits for the Phillies, who have won three of their past four games.
Bryce Harper returned to the Phillies’ lineup for the first time since June 5, having recovered from right wrist inflammation. He went 0-for-2 with a walk and was hit by a pitch.
Xander Bogaerts had three hits for San Diego, which has lost three of its past four contests. Jackson Merrill struck out three times in four hitless at-bats, including a punchout on a 96 mph fastball on Wheeler’s final pitch of the evening.
Philadelphia jumped ahead 1-0 in the second inning on Bryson Stott’s run-scoring groundout against San Diego starter Matt Waldron.
Stott was once again involved in the Phillies’ fourth-inning rally that extended the lead to 3-0. He walked with one out and stole second. Brandon Marsh then beat out an infield single, and Stott scored from second when the Padres were slow to react following the conclusion of the play.
Marsh stole second, moved to third on a wild pitch and scored on Trea Turner’s infield hit, making it 3-0.
After retiring the side in order in the third and fourth innings, Wheeler encountered a bit of trouble in the fifth. He allowed a single and hit a batter to begin the frame, but he recovered to strike out Bryce Johnson before pinch hitter Trenton Brooks lined into a double play to end the inning.
Castellanos’ solo homer in the bottom of the fifth pushed the lead to 4-0.
San Diego again had two baserunners against Wheeler in the sixth, but the veteran right-hander struck out Gavin Sheets to retire the side.
Making his first appearance of the season after a lengthy absence due to an oblique injury, Waldron (0-1) allowed four runs and six hits with six walks over 4 2/3 innings. He threw three wild pitches and struck out three.
The damage against Waldron would have been worse had Merrill not made a leaping, full-extension catch at the center field wall to rob Max Kepler of a three-run homer in the third inning.
–Field Level Media
