Zack Wheeler pitched seven innings, giving up just one run and two hits, while Bryce Harper, Alec Bohm, Nick Castellanos, and David Dahl hit home runs as the Philadelphia Phillies easily beat the Arizona Diamondbacks 12-1 on Saturday.
With this win, the Phillies improved to 50-26, making them the first National League team to reach 50 victories this season.
“We got off to a quick start, and with Zack pitching so well, it really set the tone for us,” Harper commented.
Castellanos drove in five runs, hitting his second home run in as many days. Harper contributed three RBIs and smashed his 18th homer of the season into the upper deck in right field during a standout 4-for-5 performance. Bohm followed with his eighth home run of the season.
The first five hitters in the Phillies’ lineup—Kyle Schwarber, Trea Turner, Harper, Bohm, and Castellanos—combined to go 10 for 19 with 10 runs scored and 10 RBIs. Philadelphia scored in double digits for the fifth time this season, hitting seven of their 14 hits for extra bases.
“Everyone in the lineup had a fantastic day at the plate,” said Phillies manager Rob Thomson.
Wheeler, who now has a record of 9-4, bounced back from a tough outing in Baltimore last Sunday where he allowed eight runs and four home runs in just 4 1/3 innings. He didn’t allow a runner until the fifth inning and struck out eight batters.
“I felt much better compared to my last start,” Wheeler said. “I made some adjustments between starts that helped me find my rhythm again, and I felt a lot more comfortable out there today.”
