Categories: 2023 Postgame Recaps

Defensive blunder spoils Wheeler’s brilliant night; Phils shut out in fourth straight loss

Zack Wheeler was excellent in a loss on Saturday. (John Adams/Icon Sportswire)

A brilliant performance from Zack Wheeler was spoiled by a defensive blunder, and the Phillies offense was nowhere to be found for backup.

While the right-hander tossed seven excellent innings, a sixth-inning pop-up off the bat of José Ramírez landed in between three Philadelphia fielders to drive in the only run of the game in a 1-0 Guardians victory at Progressive Field. Right fielder Nick Castellanos, center fielder Brandon Marsh and second baseman Bryson Stott all backed off the blooper as Cleveland’s Amed Rosario came around to score.

“Just miscommunication,” manager Rob Thomson told reporters after the game. “… I think somebody should’ve been there. We gotta catch that baseball.”

And for as impressive as the Phillies starting pitching performance was, Cleveland’s was a touch better. Tanner Bibee went seven strong for the Guardians, striking out eight as he kept Philadelphia off the board. The Philies (52-46) recorded just two hits on their way to a fourth consecutive loss.

“[Wheeler] pitched great,” Thomson said. “You can’t pitch much better than that. … You got to create some offense somehow, some way, to win that ballgame.”

Wheeler allowed only five Guardians hits while walking one batter and striking out eight himself. For the Phillies ace who has had some inconsistencies this season, it looked like a classic performance.

The hard-throwing righty had been cruising when he gave up a two-out single to Rosario in the bottom of the sixth. The hit should’ve been meaningless as Wheeler popped Ramírez up to right-center field. But Castellanos, Marsh and Stott all crashed toward the spot then backed away to allow the ball to get down and the runner to come around.

While the second baseman Stott appeared to have a good shot to go back and get under the ball early in the play, Thomson felt one of the two outfielders should’ve made the play coming in. The right fielder Castellanos agreed with that sentiment following the game.

“I think that it’s our responsibility to take charge and not assume the infielder is going to make the play,” he said.

Wheeler bounced back from the miscue and threw another clean inning in the seventh, but the Phillies bats never backed him up. Former Phillie Enyel De Los Santos and Emmanuel Clase each pitched a scoreless inning in relief of Bibee to close out the game.

After losing the first two of a three-game set, the Phillies will look to avoid a series sweep against Cleveland on Sunday.

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