SEATTLE (AP) — Kyle Schwarber led off with a home run and Zach Wheeler threw eight scoreless innings as the Philadelphia Phillies defeated the Seattle Mariners 6-0 on Sunday.
Bryson Stott, Bryce Harper and Alec Bohm homered as part of a five-run eighth inning to give Philadelphia some breathing room. Schwarber added a double and a single for a three-hit day as the Phillies snapped a six-game losing streak.
Wheeler (11-5) allowed just two hits and struck out nine in his longest outing of the season. He allowed just one baserunner past first base, when Cal Raleigh doubled off the wall in the first inning.
“I knew we needed a win today, so I just had that mindset. And I was able to do it,” Wheeler said. “I feel like we got quicker outs today, so that obviously gave me the ability to get deeper into the game and that’s what we needed.”
Wheeler got the best of Seattle’s Logan Gilbert in a battle of All-Star starting pitchers. Gilbert (6-8) started in a hole when he gave up the home run to Schwarber on the game’s third pitch, a fastball to the middle of the plate.
It was Schwarber’s 41st career leadoff home run, and his tenth of the season.
Gilbert allowed four hits and struck out seven without allowing a walk. He threw 98 pitches in the six innings, including 15 to Nick Castellanos in the second inning, the longest at-bat in the major leagues this season. Castellanos fouled off six straight pitches before driving the ball to third base.
“I definitely felt good today, but it would have been really cool to close out the series with a win and sweep it,” Gilbert said. “They’re really good, especially against that team. Good series to win, but it’s tough to lose today.”
Harper singled in the fourth inning to reach 3,000 total bases in his career. Harper is the 42nd player in history and the 12th left-handed hitter to reach the milestone before turning 32, the Phillies said.
Philadelphia held a narrow 1-0 lead in the eighth inning, but broke it open with a home run barrage. Stott led off the inning with his eighth home run off Mariners reliever Yimi García. With two outs, García walked Trea Turner and Seattle switched to left-hander Tayler Saucedo, who promptly allowed a two-run bomb to Harper and Bohm hit back-to-back home runs. Bohm’s 12th home run extended his on-base streak to 22 games, the longest active streak in the majors.
JT Realmuto closed the eighth inning with a run-scoring single to give the Phillies a six-run lead.
“I think these guys have been frustrated and struggling, and now they’re seeing something come out of it,” Phillies manager Rob Thomson said. “I think it’s going to be a pretty happy flight to L.A.”
For the big eighth inning, Philadelphia caught a break in the seventh. Jorge Polanco hit a deep fly ball and center fielder Brandon Marsh lost it in the sun. On the warning track, he held up his glove and was surprised when the ball landed in it for the out.
“I had my arms out and the baseball gods put the ball right in my glove,” Marsh said. “Better luck than good at that point, that’s for sure. The luck didn’t go against us, hopefully that’s the turning point.”
TRAINER’S ROOM
Raleigh held his leg and was examined by a trainer after throwing to second to catch Marsh stealing in the eighth. He remained in the game, but Mitch Garver took his place as catcher for the ninth. Servais said Raleigh had a hamstring strain and did not expect it to be a problem going forward.
NEXT ONE
Phillies: RHP Aaron Nola (11-4, 3.43 ERA) opens a three-game series against Dodgers RHP Tyler Glasnow (8-6, 3.50) on Monday, extending a 10-game winning streak for Philadelphia.
Mariners: RHP Luis Castillo (9-10, 3.43) opens a three-game home series against Detroit on Tuesday.
