Zack Wheeler bounces back, Phillies open weekend series with win over Nationals

Final Score: Phillies 4, Nationals 2

Zack Wheeler allowed just three hits and two earned runs over 7 1/3 innings pitched, while Brandon Marsh and Alec Bohm each delivered RBI doubles as the Philadelphia Phillies defeated the Washington Nationals Friday evening.

For Wheeler, it was a nice rebound effort after he turned in an uncharacteristically disappointing outing last Sunday in Miami, when he allowed six earned runs over just four innings in a loss to the Marlins.

On the season, Wheeler improves to 5-3 with a 2.52 ERA and 1.9 WAR, which FanGraphs says is tied with Tanner Houck of the Boston Red Sox for first among all starting pitchers.

Meanwhile, the Phillies improve their MLB-best record to 32-14, while the Nationals drop to 20-23. The two NL East rivals will continue their three-game weekend series Saturday, with a pair of left-handers —Cristopher Sánchez for the Phillies, MacKenzie Gore for the Nationals — slated to square off.

Highlights

• Alec Bohm doubled into the right-field corner in the bottom of the first inning off of Nationals starter Jake Irvin, scoring J.T. Realmuto to give the Phillies an early 1-0 lead. It was Bohm’s league-leading 18th double:

• Nationals catcher Keibert Ruiz doubled off of Wheeler into the left-center field gap in the top of the second inning, a ball that Johan Rojas wasn’t quite able to get to when he laid out. That plated Ildemaro Vargas, tying the game.

• The Phillies re-took the lead in the bottom of the second inning, with Brandon Marsh scoring from third base on a wild pitch by Irvin. Kyle Schwarber would then ground out, bringing Edmundo Sosa home.

• Marsh added another run with a double into the right-field corner in the bottom of the third inning, bringing Bryson Stott home:

• Veteran Eddie Rosario doubled to right field off of Wheeler in the top of the fifth inning, scoring CJ Abrams to cut the Phillies lead to 4-2.

• Marsh’s third-inning double was actually the final hit of the game for the Phillies, but it didn’t end up hurting them, as José Alvarado and Jeff Hoffman pitched scoreless innings in relief of Wheeler to earn the victory.

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