Wheeler Dealing Phillies to 4-1 Record
Back in the day in the 1970’s and the early 1980’s, when you wanted to see a Phillies pitcher at home, the name that came up was Steve Carlton. In 1993, it was Curt Schilling. Between 2007-2012 it was Cole Hamels, Cliff Lee and Roy Halladay. But now in 2025, the name is Zack Wheeler. Once again, Wheeler put on a show tonight at Citizens Bank Park, as Philadelphia defeated the Colorado Rockies, 5-1 at Citizens Bank Park.
The Phillies, for the first time this season, scored first in a game. Alec Bohm got a leadoff single to center, and then Kyle Schwarber hit an excuse me double down the left field line. Bohm read it perfectly, and got help from former Phillie, Mickey Moniak, who missed the cutoff man, as he threw it back in. Bohm scored easily, and it made the score, 1-0.
They made it 2-0, as with one out, J.T. Realmuto hit a grounder in front of the plate that the catcher threw to first to get the out, but Schwarber broke for home when no one was covering the plate. Schwarber just got in before Rockies pitcher, Kyle Freeland, could make the tag.
The Phillies had a chance to blow the game in the bottom of the fifth, as they had the bases loaded, and nobody out, however Bryce Harper, Bohm and Schwarber all struck out to end the inning.
In the seventh, the Rockies cut the deficit to 1, as catcher Hunter Goodman took a sinker from Wheeler, and deposited just over the left-center field wall for his 2nd HR of the year, and making the score, 2-1.
The Phillies, in the bottom of the half inning, made it a two-run lead again. Edmundo Sosa led off the inning with his second hit of the night, a single to right, then after a passed ball, and a sacrifice bunt, shortstop Trea Turner, who returned after being out with back spasms, got an RBI single to center, making it 3-1. The hit was Turner’s third hit of the night.
In the bottom of the eighth, Philadelphia blew the game open, as with one-out, Castellanos singled to center, Realmuto doubled to center, then after Kepler was intentionally walked, and the Rockies made a pitching change, Sosa again, with another huge hit, his third of the night, a double to left center, that scored two, and made it 5-1.
Matt Strahm and Jose Alvarado held the Rockies scoreless in the eighth and ninth innings to give the Phillies the victory.
The story of the game-- Wheeler. The ace of the staff, allowed only three hits in the game, and struck out ten batters, and lowered his ERA to 1.38. The ten strikeouts were the 26th time in his career. Wheeler threw 105 pitches, and 67 of those were strikes. In other words, another impressive night for Wheeler.
After a day off on Tuesday, Philadelphia’s next game will be a matinee on Thursday, as Taijuan Walker will make his first start of the season against Antonio Senzatela. The first pitch is scheduled for 1:05 p.m.
-David Weightman/ Olde City Sports