Cy-worthy Wheeler backed by Phils' season-high 16 runs
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MIAMI -- The Phillies were hit with a bit of an obstacle pregame on Friday. The Marlins’ starter, Edward Cabrera, was scratched an hour before first pitch with migraine-like symptoms.
Having less than an hour to prepare for any combination of bullpen arms Miami was going to throw didn’t faze Philadelphia, though. Behind another quality start from Zack Wheeler, the Phils’ bats bashed their way to a 16-2 rout of the Marlins on Friday night at loanDepot park, extending the club’s win streak to six games for the first time since May 17-23 and setting a new season high for runs scored.
“I think going from righty to lefty was kind of the biggest adjustment,” said Trea Turner, who hit his 16th homer in the Phils’ four-run second inning. “You game plan, kind of write the lineup for that. And then, you know, two hours before the game, that all changes. So there's a little adjustment there. But, you know, when you kind of take that pressure off in the first inning, I think it kind of relieves that a little bit.”
Taking the pressure off might be an understatement, after five of the first six Phillies to step to the plate reached base in a three-run first inning. With plenty of early offensive backing, Wheeler delivered six superb innings and allowed just one run, strengthening his National League Cy Young bid as he and the Braves’ Chris Sale battle for the award.
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Then, a brief hiccup in the Phillies’ game plan: J.T. Realmuto exited in the fourth with a left knee contusion two innings after fouling a pitch off his left knee and was pinch-hit for by Garrett Stubbs. Realmuto was scheduled to have a day off on Saturday anyway, so the Phils will give him time to rest and continue to assess him.
Wheeler allowed that solitary run on two hits and a walk in the bottom of the fourth, the lone blemish of his outing coming on an RBI double that ricocheted off second base as the Marlins ended his perfect game bid before it could truly be called a “bid.”
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Nevertheless, the Phils -- and Wheeler, who has drastic splits depending on whether Realmuto or Stubbs is behind the plate (a 1.98 ERA vs. an 8.62 ERA entering Friday) -- persisted. Wheeler lowered his season ERA to 2.59, striking out seven for a second straight game -- he has K’d at least six in 11 consecutive starts.
“Personally, yeah, [a Cy Young Award would] mean a lot,” Wheeler said. “There's some good competition that I'm going up against, but at the same time, I'm just trying to go out there and just put up zeros and hope for the best. That's all I can do. So just trying to go out there and compete every time and ultimately put our team in a spot to win.”
“He was good,” manager Rob Thomson said. “Command was really good. Lot of strikes, filled up the strike zone. … Really shouldn't have given up a run, other than, you know, the ball hits the bag there. Unfortunate, but he really pitched well. And he could have gone more, but I mean, thought it was kind of silly to run him out for a seventh inning with that big of a lead [14-1].”
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Meanwhile, the Phillies’ offense absolutely demolished almost every pitch it saw, racking up 22 hits -- a season high and the most Philadelphia has had in a single game since it tallied 23 on April 16, 2023 vs. Cincinnati.
All nine of the Phils’ starters had at least one hit, and four had three-hit nights -- including Johan Rojas, who became the first Phillie this season to double three times in the same game with the first such game of his career.
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“I think that's what makes us really good,” Turner said. “Kody [Clemens has] had some great at-bats. [Rojas] hit the ball really well today -- I think he had three doubles. Not only are they hitting the ball well, they're driving the ball to all fields, scoring runs. They're kind of doing a little bit of everything.
“Obviously, we’ve got a good top of the order and whatnot. But when 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 are just as dangerous, that makes it really tough on those guys over there. So you know, it's something we take pride in, and I think you guys are doing a really good job.”
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