Categories: 2024 Postgame Recaps

Zack Wheeler hit around as Phillies lose in extras to Marlins

Zack Wheeler struggled Sunday. (Zac BonDurant/Icon Sportswire)

Final Score: Marlins 7, Phillies 6 (10 innings)

Zack Wheeler brought Major League Baseball’s third-lowest ERA (1.64) into his start Sunday. The right-hander had allowed just one earned run over his previous four starts (25 1/3 innings). He was spotted a three-run lead before taking the mound in the bottom of the first inning. Wheeler was facing the third-worst offense in baseball in terms of runs scored per game (3.61). All things considered, it looked like Sunday would be another great day for the Phillies’ ace, until it wasn’t.

Wheeler tossed a 10-pitch, 1-2-3 first inning, inducing two ground outs and a weak line out. He looked in command. But after the first, Wheeler’s command, something he’s struggled with and fought through at points this season, faltered. And the Marlins took advantage.

Miami was able to take comfortable and aggressive swings against Wheeler’s fastball. Miami tagged the right-hander for six runs on six hits. Wheeler landed just 49 of his 80 pitches for strikes. He walked three batters and hit another across a season-low four innings.

Miami scored their first run against Wheeler in the second inning. Jesús Sánchez hit a ground-rule double to score Josh Bell from second base. That was all Wheeler gave up as he labored through the second. He threw 30 pitches and walked two batters.

After successfully doing so in the second, Wheeler couldn’t fight through his command issues in the third. Jazz Chisholm Jr. doubled to start the inning and Bryan De La Cruz worked a walk. Two batters later, Bell — the owner of a career .902 OPS and 14 home runs against the Phillies entering Sunday — crushed a 3-1, center-cut pitch over the center-field wall for a three-run home run.

Miami added two more runs to the board in the fourth, the second coming on a triple by Chisholm.

Wheeler’s day ended with his team behind 6-3, but he didn’t take the loss. Instead, he was handed a no decision after the Phillies almost rallied against the worst bullpen in baseball in terms of runs allowed (105).

Andrew Nardi entered the game in the top of the sixth for the Marlins with two runners — Bryce Harper via single and Bryson Stott via walk — on base. Edmundo Sosa was at the plate. The right-handed Sosa pulled a liner down the third base line for a triple, plating Harper and Stott. Brandon Marsh followed that up with a game-tying sacrifice fly.

The game remained tied at six through the later parts of the game. Jeff Hoffman came on for the ninth and continued the Phillies bullpen’s efforts of keeping the Marlins off the scoreboard. The combination of Orion Kerkering, Spencer Turnbull, José Alvarado, Matt Strahm and Hoffman kept the Marlins to just one run in their five innings of work.

In the 10th inning, the Phillies were able to load the bases with two outs against right-hander Anthony Bender. Kody Clemens, pinch-hitting for Sosa, popped out to shallow right field to end the threat, keeping the game tied.

Gregory Soto was on the mound in the bottom of the inning. Bell was intentionally walked, bringing Emmanuel Rivera to the dish. Rivera hit a 1-2 pitch right back to Soto, but it hit off the left-hander’s leg and rolled into shallow right field, allowing Nick Fortes to score the game-winning run for the Marlins.

Highlights

Nick Castellanos stayed hot Sunday with a three-run homer in the first inning. The home run extended his hit streak to eight games. Over his last 15 games, the Phillies’ right fielder has slashed .263/.344/.526.

Notes

J.T. Realmuto and Kyle Schwarber did not play Sunday. Realmuto is battling a sore right knee and Schwarber is still dealing with the lower back soreness that kept him out of Saturday’s game.
With Schwarber out of the Phillies’ lineup, Bryce Harper was the designated hitter. Harper, who appeared to have tweaked something in his first at-bat Saturday, just slipped in the batter’s box, per Rob Thomson.

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