With Zack Wheeler going against Paul Skenes, it looked like we were in for a pitcher’s duel on Sunday. And that’s exactly what we got for five innings or so. But eventually, Skenes faltered while Wheeler stayed strong, and the Phillies emerged with a 6-0 victory over the Pirates that completed a sweep and put them above .500 for the first time since.
The aces were dominating through the first four innings. Each team had just one hit, and it looked like it might come down to which ace blinked first.
In the fifth, Skenes was the one who blinked. Adolis Garcia led off the frame with a walk, and advanced to third on a J.T. Realmuto single. A Justin Crawford groundout got the Phillies’ first run home, and a Trea Turner single brought home the second.
For most teams, that’s about as much as they can hope to get off Skenes in a given game, but the Phillies weren’t done. Bryce Harper started off the fifth with a blast to centerfield to make it 3-0.
Alec Bohm and Brandon Marsh followed with hits to chase Skenes from the game and gave the Phillies a crack at the Pirates’ much less imposing bullpen. Pirates’ reliever Isaac Mattson began his stint by hitting Garcia (his second HBP of the day, maybe he owes the Pirates money?) and allowing an RBI double to Bryson Stott.
Unlike Skenes, Wheeler continued to cruise. He came close to giving up a run in the sixth when a hit by Brandon Lowe was originally ruled a home run, but review showed it was a double aided by fan interference.
Aside from that, Wheeler was never seriously threatened. His final tally: Seven innings, zero runs, four hits, one walk, and eight strikeouts.
The Phillies tacked on a run in the eighth on a Bryson Stott laser of a home run, and it felt like they were rubbing it in the Pirates’ faces a bit.
It was a great weekend for the Phillies in Pittsburgh. They had a massive comeback on Friday night and then recorded two dominating wins behind two of the best pitchers in baseball. The biggest winner of the weekend might by Cristopher Sanchez, who might have seized the unofficial title of “best pitcher in the National League” from Skenes.
The Phillies will try to keep the good times going on Monday as they return home to face the Reds. Andrew Painter will be on the mound, and the hope is that maybe he learned a thing or two from watching his ace teammates over the weekend.
