PHILADELPHIA – After a walk-off win on Monday and benches-clearing on Tuesday, what did Wednesday night have in store for the Phillies?
With their ace Zack Wheeler on the mound, the Phillies looked to complete the sweep against the Tampa Bay Rays.
Nick Castellanos was not happy about the way Rays’ reliever Edwin Uceta approached his 8th-inning plate appearance last night. Uceta drilled Nick in frustration of a 5-run Phillies inning. This got a scuffle started, and tension was rising in the Phillies dugout. Even after the benches cleared and the ball game ended, Nick Castellanos was still fired up.
In his first chance to make a statement on Wednesday evening, he did. Castellanos drilled a ball into the left-field seats, making it 2-0 Phillies.
Sometimes being the bigger man is the best route to take. Rather than the Phillies throwing at a Rays’ hitter on Wednesday, they took the high road. The high road was a two-run blast. That home run was Castellanos’ 20th of the season.
Every club in Major League Baseball wishes they had Zack Wheeler.
A model of consistency, the Phillies’ ace finds himself amid another stellar season on the mound. Wheeler took the ball on Wednesday night with a chance to prove just how good he is.
Wheeler had a shutdown first inning, only allowing a runner to reach via a Weston Wilson error. The start of the second was a bit of trouble for Wheeler. After two consecutive walks to start the frame, Zack battled back. He would strike out the next two hitters, Jose Siri and Ben Rortvedt.
9-hole hitter Taylor Walls would beat the Phillies’ starter, driving an RBI single into right field. This would make it 2-1 Phillies, and the Rays were threatening to tie the game. Zack got a weak pop-up from Christopher Morel to end the danger. In the third inning, he would allow a leadoff triple that just stayed in the park.
With a runner at third, Wheels would strike out the side, ending the inning. Any time he faced a little bit of trouble, Zack would pitch his way out of it. In the top of the 4th, Jonathan Aranda would lead off the frame with a double. A swinging bunt moved him to third and with one out, Bryson Stott nabbed Aranda at home plate on an infield hit. This kept the score 2-1 and the Phillies’ starter would escape another tight situation.
In the top of the 6th, the Rays would get to Wheeler again. This time, Jonathan Aranda would put a ball in the right field seats. His solo blast would tie the game up at 2-2.
Zack would finish the evening with 6 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, 9 K, 3 BB, and 1 HR. He would earn his National League-leading 23rd quality start of the season.
After Nick Castellanos gave the Phillies a 2-0 lead, things went quiet for the club.
Only Johan Rojas would get a hit for the next 3.2 innings, where Phillies hitters were a combined 0/13 with 2 walks. It is hard to have high expectations for an offense missing Kyle Schwarber, Alec Bohm, JT Realmuto, and Edmundo Sosa. However, the Phillies could have benefitted by giving Zack Wheeler a bigger lead.
The streak would finally end thanks to the bat of Brandon Marsh. Marsh’s single would move Nick Castellanos, who had walked, to third base. The next hitter was Weston Wilson, whose infield single scored Nick from third base. This gave the Phillies a 3-2 lead.
Matt Strahm would enter the ballgame in the 7th inning for the Phillies. Their All-Star reliever was tasked with keeping the team’s lead intact.
Strahm would do just that. Setting the side down in order 1-2-3. Two weak pop-ups and a ground out to first base would do the job and move the Phillies into the bottom half of the inning.
The team’s offense would return the favor, sitting down 1-2-3 themselves. It was not the most potent Phillies offense we have seen this season.
In the 8th, the Phillies went to Jose Alvarado with the same task as Strahm, to protect their lead. It has been an up-and-down season for Jose, who at one point was the team’s best reliever. Since returning from the Restricted List, it seems like that version of Jose Alvarado has returned.
Alvarado would get the first two batters to elevate the ball straight up. A fly out to right and a pop-up to first base accomplished his goal. With two outs in the inning, Jose flashed. Tossing 99 mph sinkers, he would strike out Dylan Carlson to end the top of the 8th.
The Phillies would remain scoreless in the bottom of the 8th. The only takeaway from the inning was that Nick Castellanos was again hit by a pitch. The fans did not appreciate the free pass. The first pitch to Brandon Marsh, the next batter, was up and in. The fans did not appreciate that toss from Rays’ Kevin Kelly.
Carlos Estévez would then enter for the 9th. He would get a chance to earn retribution for Monday’s blown save attempt.
Again, the Phillies bullpen would step up when needed most. After getting the first batter to roll over a ball to second base, Yandy Diaz would earn a pinch-hit single. He would then get pinch-ran for, by Jose Caballero. Fresh into the game, Caballero would try and steal second, where he would get hosed by Aramis Garcia for the second out.
The last batter would ground out to Kody Clemens at first base, ending the ballgame with another Phillies win. This was the club’s 12th sweep on the season and they have now won 6 straight against the Tampa Bay Rays.
With an off-day Thursday, the Phillies welcome the New York Mets into Citizens Bank Park for a three-game series.
Photo Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images
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