Wheeler fans 12, Phils beat Red Sox 6-2 to end 4-game skid

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Zack Wheeler struck out a career high-tying 12 and the Philadelphia Phillies ended a four-game skid, beating the Boston Red Sox 6-2 on Sunday.

Odubel Herrera doubled twice and singled and Brad Miller hit a three-run homer as the Phillies averted a sweep and stopped Boston's four-game winning string.

Wheeler (4-2) allowed only three hits in 7 1/3 innings, and retired 17 straight batters after a leadoff single. He matched the dozen strikeouts he had in 2013 for the New York Mets against San Diego.

Philadelphia scored four times in the first off Eduardo Rodríguez (5-3). Rhys Hoskins singled home Herrera with the first run and after Alec Bohm walked, Miller hit a drive just inside the left-field foul pole for his fourth homer of the year.

Rodríguez gave up five hits and walked three in four-plus innings. He threw 103 pitches before departing two hitters into the fifth inning.

The first-inning run support was all Wheeler needed. Facing a Boston lineup that didn’t feature Xander Bogaerts or J.D. Martinez — both given a day of rest by manager Alex Cora before an off-day on Monday.

Only Franchy Cordero’s long home run onto Ashburn Alley in deep right center to lead off the eighth blemished Wheeler’s outing. Rafael Devers hit a solo homer in the ninth off Archie Bradley.

Wheeler improved his overall ERA to 2.38 on the season. He has been masterful at notoriously hitter-friendly Citizens Bank Park as well, going 3-0 in six starts with a 1.88 ERA, 52 strikeouts and just five walks in 53 innings.

Andrew McCutchen added a sacrifice fly and Herrera had an RBI double.

Herrera has made his case to fill Philadelphia’s center field void, hitting .355 with two homers and eight RBIs in 62 at-bats since May 3.

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source https://www.chron.com/sports/article/Wheeler-fans-12-Phils-beat-Red-Sox-6-2-to-end-16197760.php