Zack Wheeler struck out six over 7 ⅓ innings as the Philadelphia Phillies continued their hot start with a 4-2 victory over the Washington Nationals on Friday night.
Wheeler saved a stretched-out bullpen, striking 7 ⅓ innings. Philadelphia needed only 2 hours, 15 minutes in front of another teeming crowd of 44,507 to boost to 32-14, the best record in MLB.
The Phillies won the opener for the 13th time in the last 14 series, detecting the tone for success early, even when they were hitless in this one after the third inning.
“Our pitching’s been carrying us and they set the tone for us,” left fielder Brandon Marsh said. “As of late, we only need to get them a couple (runs) and they get the job done.”
Wheeler got a standing ovation when he was lifted with one out in the eighth inning. He permitted two runs and threw 104 pitches to win his fifth straight decision. Wheeler went 0-3 over his first four starts, costing the Phillies all four matches. This was before he became one of the best pitchers in baseball.
The right-hander has been bested sometimes this term by lefty Ranger Suárez and his 8-0 record, but there’s still no other pitcher Philadelphia would want on the mound for a big match.
A night after the Phillies used six relievers in an extra-inning defeat, Wheeler tossed his seventh quality start of the season and his 71st with the Phillies. He is tied with New York Yankees ace Gerrit Cole for the most quality starts in the major leagues since 2020. Wheeler has a 1.62 ERA with 525 strikeouts in 477 2/3 innings over that span.
“A lot of guys got used to it last night, so I just tried to go as deep as I can and also win the game,” Wheeler said.
Jeff Hoffman worked the ninth for his third save.
Wheeler credited the game with Washington to a rise in velocity to 98 mph early, and a stadium that sold out on time, partly because of a Bryson Stott bobblehead promotion. Zack and Philadelphia were never in serious danger against the Nationals.
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