Another so-so Zach Wheeler outing was salvaged by the continued August heat wave of Alec Bohm and Bryson Stott as the Philadelphia Phillies (69-58) won their fifth straight game by a score of 6-4 against the Miami Marlins (64-63).
Wheeler gave up two runs across five innings, striking out seven but issuing four walks as 41 of his 98 pitches were called balls.
Bohm and Stott accounted for a combined three runs scored, three hits and four RBI, aided by a pair of walks issued to Bryce Harper and a trio of hits by Luis Arraez to set the table.
The new corner infield tandem’s torrid month included stellar play in the field to go along with the team-carrying offensive production, punctuated by an inning-ending unassisted double play by Bohm to end a threat in the seventh.
The Phillies were down 3-1 against the Marlins’ bullpen assemblage going into the bottom of the sixth and they came out the other end up 5-3 after sending nine men to the plate.
Kyle Schwarber tacked on an insurance run in the eighth on an RBI single, after narrowly missing a three-run home run that would have blown things open in the sixth that appeared to just miss the right field foul pole.
Alex McFarlane and Orion Kerkering both allowed a run in relief of Wheeler. Brooks Raley shut the door for his fist save of the season. Justin Crawford had a pair of hits in the nine hole.
Pending the results of the late games, the Phillies sit 5.5 out of the division lead and 1.5 games up on the Padres for the final wild card spot with 35 games to play.
Phils go for the sweep tomorrow night as Aaron Nola faces off against Sandy Alcantara.
