Zack Wheeler threw a dazzling one-hitter with 12 strikeouts as the Philadelphia Phillies nipped the visiting Cincinnati Reds 3-1 on Sunday afternoon.
Bryson Stott hit a tiebreaking two-run homer in the eighth inning to help make a winner of Wheeler (9-3), who was named National League Pitcher of the Month for June and picked up right where he left off. The right-hander allowed only a home run to Austin Hays and did not walk a batter in a sparkling individual effort.
With the game tied at 1-1 in the eighth, J.T. Realmuto flared a one-out single against Tony Santillan (1-2). Stott then fell behind 0-2 before battling in a seven-pitch at-bat, capped by a line-drive homer off the facing of the second deck in right field.
Already with 100 pitches, Wheeler came back out for the ninth and struck out Will Benson. He then got Santiago Espinal on a soft liner and TJ Friedl on an easy fly ball to wrap up his fifth career complete game.
Wheeler retired the first 12 hitters he faced until Hays lifted a 3-1 fastball over the wall in right-center field. Wheeler then set down the next three batters, setting the stage for his teammates to tie the score in the fifth.
In that frame, Brandon Marsh walked against Chase Burns with one out. Two batters later, the Reds summoned Sam Moll, who allowed Kyle Schwarber’s RBI double into the right-center field gap.
The Phillies threatened again in the sixth, beginning with singles against Scott Barlow by Alec Bohm and Nick Castellanos. However, the right-hander struck out three of the next four hitters – all on curveballs – to keep the game tied at 1-1.
Wheeler breezed through the seventh and the Phillies made some noise in the bottom half, to no avail. Graham Ashcroft struck out Castellanos with two runners on to end that threat.
Wheeler again retired the side in order in the eighth, punctuated by an inning-ending strikeout of Tyler Stephenson to set the stage for Stott’s heroics.
Making his third career start, Burns allowed one run and two hits over 4 2/3 innings. He walked four and struck out seven, throwing 91 pitches.
–Field Level Media
