Wheeler dominates as Phillies beat Braves 4-0

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Zack Wheeler allowed only one hit and struck out 10 in seven innings while going 2 for 3 with two RBIs in leading the Philadelphia Phillies to a 4-0 win over the Atlanta Braves on Saturday.

Wheeler retired the final 17 Atlanta hitters he faced after a one-out single to Travis d’Arnaud in the second inning. He mixed a fastball that reached the high 90s with a sinker that had the Braves off balance for the afternoon. The 10 strikeouts were the most by Wheeler since signing with the Phillies in the 2019-20 offseason, and the 10th time in is major league career he reached that number.

Archie Bradley and Hector Neris retired all six hitters in the final two innings. Overall, the Braves struck out 14 times out of 28 at-bats on the afternoon.

Wheeler also made a difference at the plate, breaking a scoreless tie in the fifth inning with an RBI single to center off starter Charlie Morton, who had matched Wheeler through the first four innings. In the sixth, Wheeler added an RBI double into the left-field corner off reliever Sean Newcomb.

Wheeler is the first Phillies pitcher with a multiple hit and RBI game since Ben Lively on Sept. 5, 2017. Wheeler was allowed back in the box after the National League reverted back to letting pitchers hit this season. The designated hitter was adopted in both leagues for the pandemic-shortened 2020 season and seems likely to be restored in the NL after collective bargaining talks next offseason, but the league and players’ association stalled out on talks this spring to keep the universal DH in 2021.

Rhys Hoskins knocked in Philadelphia’s other runs with a fifth-inning broken bat double just inside the left-field line that scored Roman Quinn and Wheeler.

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source https://www.chron.com/sports/article/Wheeler-dominates-as-Phillies-beat-Braves-4-0-16075198.php