Kyle Schwarber kicked off the game with a home run, and Zack Wheeler delivered eight scoreless innings, leading the Philadelphia Phillies to a 6-0 victory over the Seattle Mariners on Sunday.
Bryson Stott, Bryce Harper, and Alec Bohm also contributed home runs during a five-run eighth inning, securing additional runs for the Phillies and breaking their six-game losing streak. Schwarber added a double and a single, finishing the day with three hits.
Wheeler (11-5) allowed only two hits and struck out nine in his longest outing of the season, with only one runner advancing past first base when Cal Raleigh doubled in the first inning.
“I knew we needed a win today, so I focused on that mindset. And I was able to do it,” Wheeler said. “I felt like we got quicker outs today, which allowed me to go deeper into the game, and that’s what we needed.”
Wheeler outshone Seattle’s Logan Gilbert in a duel of All-Star pitchers. Gilbert (6-8) fell behind early after surrendering the home run to Schwarber on the third pitch of the game, a fastball down the middle. It marked Schwarber’s 41st career leadoff home run and his 10th of the season.
Gilbert allowed four hits and struck out seven without issuing a walk, throwing 98 pitches over six innings, including a 15-pitch battle with Nick Castellanos in the second inning, the longest at-bat in the major leagues this season. Castellanos fouled off six consecutive pitches before grounding out to third base.
“I felt good today, but it would have been great to finish off the series with a win and get a sweep,” Gilbert said. “Especially against that team, they’re really good. It was a good series with the win, but losing today was tough.”
Harper singled in the fourth inning, reaching 3,000 total bases in his career. According to the Phillies, Harper is the 42nd player and the 12th left-handed hitter in history to achieve this milestone before turning 32.