Wheeler dominates HR alongside Hoskins as Phillies take series opener originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia
Zack Wheeler was visibly frustrated Monday night after consecutive pitches in the third inning. Two straight strikes were called balls by home plate umpire Sean Barber, and Wheeler froze as he caught both return throws, clearly wondering where they missed.
Joey Ortiz walked and nine-hole hitter Blake Perkins singled to load the bases off Wheeler with no one out. The Phillies led by two runs, but it was a crucial moment in the game when the top of the standings was on the line and Milwaukee had a chance to tie the game or take a lead.
Pesky, speedy leadoff man Brice Turang made a deep count and on the seventh pitch hit a ball back to Wheeler, who immediately made an albeit wild throw to the plate. JT Realmuto fielded Wheeler’s short hop and fired to first base for a huge 1-2-3 double play. With a strikeout by the dangerous William Contreras, Wheeler was out of the inning moments later and largely sailed from there.
Realmuto’s play won’t appear in any box scores, but could have been a game-saver. If he misses Wheeler’s throw in the mud, at least one and possibly two runs score, two runners are still in scoring position and still no one is out.
These are the little things the 42-19 Phillies have done all season and did again in Monday’s 3-1 win.
Wheeler improved to 7-3 with a 2.24 ERA. He threw 114 pitches, his second most in five seasons with the Phillies. Manager Rob Thomson felt comfortable extending him a little longer than normal, with Wheeler expected to get at least one extra day before his next start.
The quartet of Wheeler, Ranger Suarez, Aaron Nola and Cristopher Sanchez has a combined ERA of 2.43 in 292â…“ innings pitched this season. To put that in context, one starting pitcher in all of baseball (Blake Snell) had an ERA that low a season ago.
The Phillies had four hits and scored the first two runs of the game in the top of the second Monday evening. Debuting left fielder David Dahl singled between first and second base to put runners on the corners with two outs, while Edmundo Sosa and Johan Rojas followed with RBI singles.
The Phillies have outscored teams 87-44 in the first two innings this season, nearly doubling their opponents’ output.
Two innings later, Dahl hit a rocket to right field for a solo home run. Quite a good first day at the new club.
Dahl and Weston Wilson, roommates in Allentown, were called up from Triple A on Monday afternoon as Brandon Marsh (right hamstring injury) and Kody Clemens (back spasms) were placed on the 10-day injured list.
There was a lot of energy and emotion at Citizens Bank Park on Monday night, with 43,553 players in attendance for Rhys Hoskins’ first game in Philadelphia since signing with the Brewers in late January. Hoskins batted sixth as Milwaukee’s design hitter, hitting a solo home run off Wheeler with two outs in the seventh inning. Earlier in the evening, he popped out, walked and was thrown out at home by Rojas who tried to score from one second on a two-out single.
Hoskins received huge ovations all evening, but especially in the second inning. The Phillies held a video tribute to him before the top of the second and the game paused for about 30 seconds when he stepped up to the plate. Hoskins patted Realmuto on the head and back and the catcher clearly recognized the moment, stood up and walked to the mound to give Hoskins and the crowd time to take it all in.
The Brewers are the best team the Phillies have faced since the first three games of the season against the Braves, but the Phils won Game 1 as they have in 15 of their last 18 series. The Phillies are 5-2 against teams with winning records and went 3-0 against a Rangers team that would otherwise be above .500.
Sanchez and Nola, both doing well, will climb the hill over the next two nights.
