Zack Wheeler outduels Paul Skenes, Phillies post another 6-0 shutout to complete sweep of Pirates
The Phils are above .500 for the first time since April 7 after posting a second straight shutout of the Pirates.
PITTSBURGH — The Phillies weren’t counting on a lot of run support against Paul Skenes.
The Pirates ace and reigning National League Cy Young winner brought a 1.98 ERA and a scoreless streak of 16 ⅔ innings into Sunday’s series finale against the Phillies. Across his two starts against them last season, Skenes used his blazing velocity and six-pitch mix to hold the Phillies to one total earned run.
The key, then, was going to be the other man on the mound.
“You’re not going to really go beat this guy up,” interim manager Don Mattingly said before the game. “I think it happened maybe once this year or something. You can’t count anything like that. So your starter has to be good, just keep you in the game. We got the right guy.”
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Zack Wheeler did prove to be the right guy, tossing seven scoreless innings to outduel Skenes. And even if they weren’t counting on it, the bats ultimately broke through, too. The Phillies tagged Skenes for five runs in the 6-0 win to complete the series sweep over Pittsburgh.
Early on, the heavyweight battle between two of the best pitchers in baseball lived up to its billing. Skenes started the game by striking out the side, and Wheeler’s response was a 1-2-3 inning of his own. Through four innings, they both had allowed just one hit.
But even before it showed on the scoreboard, the Phillies were working counts and driving Skenes’ pitch count up.
In the fifth inning, Adolis García drew Skenes’ first walk since April 13, and he ultimately ended up snapping the scoreless streak, too. García advanced to third on a single from J.T. Realmuto, and scored on an RBI groundout from Justin Crawford.
Trea Turner, who had been hitless in his first two plate appearances against Skenes, punched a single to the opposite field to drive in Realmuto.
They weren’t done there. When Harper deposited his 12th homer of the season into the Phillies bullpen to lead off the sixth inning, the Pirates already had reliever Isaac Mattson warming a few feet away. And after Alec Bohm and Brandon Marsh followed it up with back-to-back hits, that was the end of the line for Skenes.
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Mattson allowed both inherited runners to score on a double from Bryson Stott. The Phillies second baseman also homered in the eighth to pick up his third RBI of the game.
It marked just the third time in Skenes’ career that he has allowed five runs in a start.
Meanwhile, Wheeler’s fastball velocity ticked up to 96.1 mph. Through his first four starts of the year, it had averaged 94.7 mph. The extra zip helped him record four of his eight strikeouts with the pitch. Wheeler issued just one walk.
The Pirates thought they had spoiled the shutout in the sixth when Brandon Lowe sent a deep fly ball towards the right field seats. But a crew chief review revealed that a fan had interfered by stretching over the railing to catch it, and Lowe was placed on second base.
Wheeler induced a groundout on the next batter to strand him there.
Jonathan Bowlan and Tanner Banks pitched a scoreless eighth and ninth to seal the shutout. With the win, the Phillies record improved to 24-23, rising above the .500 mark for the first time since April 7.
There’s never not a good reason to talk baseball with Terry Francona. But with his current team (the Reds) coming to town Monday, and because two of his former clubs (the Red Sox and Phillies) recently fired their managers, there's no better time to invite the future Hall of Fame manager for a conversation on "Phillies Extra," The Inquirer's baseball podcast. Watch here.
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