PHILADELPHIA — It hardly seems possible considering Zack Wheeler is turning in a season that’s turning back the clock to at least the days of Roy Halladay, Cliff Lee, and Cole Hamels. But just when you think he can’t possibly be more dominant, he delivers another gem.
For a change, the Phillies didn’t let it go to waste.
Wheeler’s latest: 12 strikeouts over eight scoreless, walk-free innings Thursday against the Atlanta Braves. The offense provided almost no run support, closer Héctor Neris blew a save in the ninth inning, and another walk on the wild side by José Alvarado in the 10th left the Phillies three outs from a crushing defeat.
This time, though, they rallied for three runs in the bottom of the 10th as Jean Segura delivered the decisive blow with a two-run double to left field for a 4-3 victory. And after Odúbel Herrera slid across home plate on his belly with the winning run, the Phillies poured onto the field and swarmed Segura in shallow left field.
After dropping the series opener, 9-5, Tuesday night, the Phillies (30-31) scored a total of six runs in the last two games. But they won both — on walk-off hits, no less — and moved into second place in the National League East, a half game ahead of the Braves (29-31).
Newly recalled rookie Luke Williams played the hero Wednesday night with his game-ending, two-run homer in the ninth inning. But although Segura came up with the big hit, Wheeler was the undisputed star Thursday with the latest in a series of overpowering performances.
Wheeler allowed four hits, all singles. He didn’t allow a runner to reach second base. He reached double digits in strikeouts for the fifth time this season and the fourth time in his last five starts. He lowered his ERA to 2.29.
Beginning with a three-hit shutout of the Milwaukee Brewers on May 6, Wheeler has allowed eight runs in 51 2/3 innings over his last seven starts for a 1.39 ERA. In his last nine starts, he has given up a total of 13 runs, four of which came in the first inning May 1 against the New York Mets.
And then there’s this: According to the Elias Sports Bureau, Wheeler is the first Phillies pitcher since 1891 to have two games in which he struck out at least 10 batters without allowing a run and a walk.
Any way you slice it, Wheeler has been dominant.
Braves starter Ian Anderson was outstanding, too. And after seven innings of being shut out, the Phillies finally broke the scoreless stalemate on Segura’s one-out double off third baseman Austin Riley’s glove in the bottom of the eighth.
But Neris couldn’t nail down the win for Wheeler. With one out in the ninth, he gave up a game-tying solo homer to Freddie Freeman that eluded Herrera’s outstretched glove. It appeared Herrera either mistimed his jump or wasn’t close enough to the fence in straightaway center field to steal a home run.
Neris hadn’t blown a save — or so much as allowed a run — since May 8 in Atlanta. At least he kept the game tied. Despite walking Ozzie Albies, who stole second and went to third on a wild pitch, Neris struck out Riley and got Dansby Swanson to pop out.
The Braves scored twice in the 10th without getting a hit. Alvarado wild-pitched home one run before walking the bases loaded and allowing another run on a passed ball charged to rookie catcher Rafael Marchán, called up before the game and inserted in the 10th inning after Andrew Knapp was lifted for a pinch-runner one inning earlier.
But all’s well that ends well. And after Alec Bohm opened the 10th with a single that drove home Marchán, Herrera doubled to left field to bring up Segura for the winning moment.
