A plume of fireworks ignited the night sky above center field as Zack Wheeler walked off the mound.
The eighth-inning pyrotechnics were a preview of the fireworks show set for the conclusion of Monday’s game, but they were also very appropriate for the moment. Padres outfielder Jackson Merrill had just swung through a 96 mph fastball for Wheeler’s 10th and final strikeout of the night, capping his longest outing of the season so far.
“I mean, what can you say about him?” said Phillies manager Rob Thomson. “He’s just been phenomenal the entire month.”
Wheeler’s eight shutout innings helped carry the Phillies to a 4-0 series-opening win over San Diego. He did not issue a single walk, and scattered six hits. He induced 19 swings-and-misses, including nine on his four-seam and six on his curveball.
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Wheeler had expressed some frustration last week in Houston after a string of starts that were shorter than his liking. He pitched six innings against the Astros on June 25 and five against the Mets on June 20. While he didn’t allow an earned run in either start, Wheeler wanted to be efficient enough to go seven.
On Monday, Wheeler accomplished that goal easily. And with his pitch count up to 95 after the seventh, Thomson checked in on him. Wheeler felt good to go back out, and with an off day on Thursday building in extra rest before his next start, his manager was comfortable pushing him.
“I love it,” Wheeler said. “That’s what I want to do every time out.”
Even if the length of some of his starts haven’t been up to his own standards, Wheeler has been dominant this June. He has an 0.58 ERA in the month, allowing just two earned runs total across all five of his starts. Hitters are just .180 against him, while he has a 0.87 WHIP.
“He’s unbelievable to say the least,” Brandon Marsh said. “That’s our guy. He competes every single time he’s on that bump. We feel really, really good when he’s out there.”
The Phillies offense did just enough to back Wheeler up, manufacturing runs off Padres knuckleballer Matt Waldron.
“Just try to see the ball, hit ball,” Marsh said. “Felt like every knuckler he threw had different movement, different speeds. It’s a rarity in the game, and it was pretty unique to face it tonight.”
In the second inning, a groundout by Bryson Stott scored Max Kepler from third base. The Phillies added two more runs on ground-ball singles and some heads-up baserunning in the fourth inning.
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Stott walked and stole second to open the rally. Marsh sent a grounder to first baseman Luis Arráez, but beat out his toss to Waldron, who was slow coming off the mound to cover first. Meanwhile, Stott came around to score from second base, diving around the tag at the plate.
“I was just trying to bust it to first,” Marsh said. “Definitely saw the Waldron late break. So I was like, ‘OK, I just got a footrace with him.’ And I turn around and I hear everyone yelling, and I see this big cloud of dust, and I’m like, ‘Atta boy, Stotter,’ so heads-up play by him, for sure.”
Marsh then stole second — sneaking his arm under the tag — and advanced on a wild pitch. He scored when Trea Turner hit a chopper to Manny Machado, too softly for him to make a play.
“Those are the type of things you need to do to win games against good pitching and playoff games,” Thomson said. “Those little things. Play the small ball and execute, stay aggressive on the bases, take extra bases when they’re there for you. So I thought we did a good job. We’ve been doing that for the last couple of games.”
In the third inning, Merrill saved the Padres three runs, leaping up against the center field wall to haul back a fly ball and rob Kepler of a three-run shot.
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Nick Castellanos added another insurance run in the fifth with a solo home run to left field, well out of reach of any of the Padres outfielders.
Tanner Banks pitched a scoreless ninth inning. In his return to the lineup, Bryce Harper went 0-for-2 with a walk and was hit by a pitch. Thomson said he felt fine after the game, but the Phillies will check in on how he recovers on Tuesday.
“The starting pitching, bullpen, everyone, it’s been unbelievable,” Marsh said. “So good little recipe for success. We just got to keep the bats going.”
