Two of their four All-Star pitchers bookended a dominant night on the mound to pilot the Philadelphia Phillies (51-41) to a 4-1 victory over the Cincinnati Reds (41-49) in the the opening game of the series.
The 18 strikeouts the Phillies’ staff collected were a season high, as they were for the Reds’ hitters who coughed them up.
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Zack Wheeler matched his career high with 14 punch outs across his seven innings pitched, equaling the mark he set back in May of 2021 against the Tampa Bay Rays.
The Phillies got on the board first after a one-out double by Derek Hill and a single by Justin Crawford put runners on the corners for Trea Turner who grounded out to short to score Hill. Kyle Schwarber came up next and got the green light up 3-0 in the count to smash his majors-leading 31st home run to right center.
The Reds cut into the lead with a leadoff homer by Eugenio Suarez off of Wheeler in the seventh inning.
The Phillies would get it right back in the eighth after Turner beat out a throw for an infield single to lead off the frame. A single by Schwarber and a walk by Alec Bohm loaded the bases for Edmundo Sosa who scored Turner on a sacrifice fly.
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Orion Kerkering was a one-man dinner and a show again as he threatened to yield the lead by loading the bases on walks. After the second one, Sal Stewart grounded to third for what might have been an inning-ending around-the-horn double play if not for a clever play by Elly De La Cruz to run through the bag at second instead of sliding or making a turn to third. After the dust settled on a challenge and an eight-minute delay, Phillies’ coaches Caleb Cotham and Bobby Dickerson were both ejected and De La Cruz remained at second. Kerkering finished loading the bases before being bailed out by Jonathan Bowlan to escape the trap.
Jhoan Duran got all three outs via the K for his 22nd save of the season.
Phillies have yet to announce their starter for tomorrow’s game on ESPN Wednesday Night Baseball. Chase Burns goes for the Reds.
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