The Phillies flipped the script on the Padres Wednesday night, riding a Zack Wheeler gem of an outing to a 3-0 victory. The Padres blanked the Phillies last night, as Mike Clevinger tossed 5.0 one-hit innings, top prospect Mackenzie Gore hurled three scoreless frames of his own and All-Star Taylor Rogers slammed the door in the ninth. The Phillies gave San Diego a taste of their own medicine, with Wheeler working 7.0 fantastic frames, and José Alvarado and Corey Knebel throwing perfect innings of their own. The Phillies will look to clinch a series win tomorrow afternoon when Kyle Gibson faces off against Yu Darvish.
Wheeler has been rolling lately, which is wonderful news for a Phillies club that lacks rotation depth. The 31-year-old had an abbreviated spring training due to illness and injury, but has gotten back on track over his past four starts, holding his opponents hitless in three of them, and going 5.1 innings while surrendering three earned runs and striking out seven against the Dodgers last Thursday. Wheeler looks to be back to his Cy Young-contending self, and a one-two punch of him and a revitalized Aaron Nola will be tough to top.
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There wasn’t much offense in tonight’s game, but Rhys Hoskins did smoke a third inning longball off of Blake Snell, While J.T. Realmuto and Odúbel Herrera added RBIs of their own. Kyle Gibson will look to lead the Phils to victory in tomorrow’s rubber match, and the bullpen should be well rested following the seven-inning gem by Wheeler tonight.