By DAIMON EKLUND Associated Press
SEATTLE (AP) — Kyle Schwarber led off with a homer and Zack Wheeler pitched eight scoreless innings as the Philadelphia Phillies beat the Seattle Mariners 6-0 on Sunday.
Bryson Stott, Bryce Harper and Alec Bohm homered as part of a five-run eighth inning to give Philadelphia breathing room. Schwarber added a double and a single for a three-hit day as the Phillies snapped a six-game losing streak.
Wheeler (11-5) allowed just two hits and struck out nine in his longest outing of the season. He only allowed one baserunner past first, when Cal Raleigh hit a double off the wall in the first inning.
“I knew today we needed a win, so I just had that mindset. And I was able to do it,” Wheeler said. “I feel like we got quicker outs today, so that obviously allowed me to go deeper into the game and that’s what we needed.”
Wheeler got the best of Seattle’s Logan Gilbert in a battle of All-Star starting pitchers. Gilbert (6-8) started out in a hole as he gave up the home run to Schwarber on the third pitch of the game, a fastball in the middle of the plate.
It was Schwarber’s 41st career leadoff homer, and his 10th of the season.
Gilbert allowed four hits and struck out seven without allowing a walk. He threw 98 pitches over the six innings, 15 of them to Nick Castellanos in the second inning, the longest at-bat in the major leagues this season. Castellanos fouled off six straight pitches before grounding out to third base.
“I felt good today for sure, but it would have been pretty sweet to finish off the series with a win and get a sweep,” Gilbert said. “Especially against that team, they’re really good. Good series getting the win, but it’s tough losing today.”
Harper singled in the fourth inning to reach 3,000 total bases in his career. Harper is the 42nd player in history and 12th left-handed hitter to reach the milestone before turning 32 years old, according to the Phillies.
Philadelphia held a tight 1-0 lead going into the eighth inning before breaking things open with a homer barrage. Stott led off the inning with his eighth homer against Mariners reliever Yimi García. With two outs, García walked Trea Turner and Seattle turned to left-hander Tayler Saucedo, who promptly gave up a two-run bomb to Harper and Bohm made it back-to-back home runs. Bohm’s 12th homer extended his on-base streak to 22 games, the longest active streak in the majors.
J.T. Realmuto capped the big eighth inning with a run-scoring single to give the Phillies a six-run lead.
“I think these guys have been frustrated and grinding, and now they see something come out of it,” Phillies manager Rob Thomson said. “I think it’ll be a pretty happy flight going to L.A.”
Before the big eighth inning, Philadelphia caught a break in the seventh. Jorge Polanco hit a deep fly ball and center fielder Brandon Marsh lost it in the sun. On the warning track, he held his glove up and was surprised when the ball landed inside it for the out.
“I had my arms out and the baseball gods put the ball right in my glove,” Marsh said. “Better lucky than good in that moment for sure. The luck hasn’t been falling our way, hopefully that’s the turning point.”
TRAINERS ROOM
Raleigh held his leg and was looked at by a trainer after throwing to second to try and catch Marsh stealing in the eighth. He stayed in the game but Mitch Garver took his place at catcher for the ninth. Servais said Raleigh had a hamstring cramp and didn’t expect it to be an issue going forward.
UP NEXT
Phillies: RHP Aaron Nola (11-4, 3.43 ERA) will open a three-game series on Monday against Dodgers RHP Tyler Glasnow (8-6, 3.50), continuing a 10-game road trip for Philadelphia.
Mariners: RHP Luis Castillo (9-10, 3.43) opens a three-game home series against Detroit on Tuesday.