Trea Turner homered among three hits and Zach Wheeler pitched 6 2/3 scoreless innings to help the streaking Philadelphia Phillies post a 4-3 victory over the struggling Athletics on Friday night at West Sacramento, Calif.
Johan Rojas made a run-saving catch in the eighth inning to preserve a 1-0 lead and added a run-scoring single in the ninth as the Phillies extended their season-best winning streak to eight games.
Turner led off the game with a homer and also contributed a run-scoring single in the ninth. Alec Bohm had an RBI double in the ninth and Tanner Banks recorded the final out for his first save of the season for Philadelphia.
Wheeler (6-1) excelled by allowing just three hits and two walks. He struck out eight and didn’t allow a run for the third straight start while winning his fourth consecutive outing.
Nick Kurtz hit a three-run homer and Lawrence Butler had two hits for the Athletics, who saw their season-worst losing streak reach 10.
Jacob Lopez (0-2) struck out a career-best eight in seven innings for the Athletics and gave up one run and three hits. It was his first major league appearance since April 29.
Turner clobbered the fourth pitch of the game over the fence in center. He jumped on a 2-1 fastball from Lopez.
In the eighth, Butler stroked a one-out double off Matt Strahm and moved to third on a groundout by Jacob Wilson.
Tyler Soderstrom then ripped the next pitch to deep center and Rojas gave chase and made a sprawling catch on the warning track to end the inning.
The Phillies tacked on three insurance runs in the ninth off Mason Miller.
J.T. Realmuto reached on an infield single to shortstop and kept going all the way to third due to a throwing error by Wilson. Bohm followed with a double to right center to make it 2-0.
Two outs later, Rojas dropped a single into shallow right to drive in Bohm. Rojas stole second and scored on Turner’s single to center to make it a four-run margin.
The extra runs came in handy when Jordan Romano struggled in a no-save situation. Brent Rooker singled and Shea Langeliers walked to start the inning. One out later, Kurtz ripped a 425-foot, three-run blast to center to bring the Athletics within one.
CJ Alexander stroked a two-out single before Banks struck out Butler to end it.
Wheeler retired the first two batters of the seventh inning before tiring, issuing his only walks of the game to Miguel Andujar and Kurtz.
Orion Kerkering entered and struck out Luis Urias to end the inning.
–Field Level Media
