Wheeler throws 6 strong innings, Stott homers to help Phillies beat Marlins 6-5

MIAMI (AP) — Zack Wheeler struck out eight over six strong innings of one-run ball, Bryson Stott homered and the Philadelphia Phillies beat the Miami Marlins 6-5 on Friday night.

Alec Bohm and Edmundo Sosa each had two hits and drove in a run to help the Phillies improve to 4-0 under interim manager Don Mattingly.

In his second appearance since beginning the season on the injured list, Wheeler (1-0) scattered three hits and walked two. Wheeler underwent surgery in September after a blood clot was discovered in his right shoulder and made his season debut with a five-inning outing against Atlanta on April 26.

Phillies slugger Kyle Schwarber, who began Friday with an NL-leading 11 homers, struck out five times.

Sosa’s RBI single and Stott’s three-run homer off reliever Cade Gibson in the seventh made it 6-1. Bryce Harper doubled and scored when Sosa hit a line drive to center. Gibson then plunked Brandon Marsh on the right elbow with a 91 mph fastball before Stott connected with a drive over the right-field wall.

The Marlins narrowed the deficit on Otto López’s RBI single, Liam Hicks’ sacrifice fly and Agustín Ramírez’s run-scoring single against relievers Jonathan Bowlan and José Alvarado in the eighth.

Javier Sanoja walked to lead off the ninth against Phillies closer Brad Keller. Jakob Marsee and Kyle Stowers struck out before López narrowed the deficit with an RBI single. Keller retired Xavier Edwards on a flyout to center for his first save.

Stowers protested the called third strike by plate umpire Mark Wegner and was ejected. Wegner also tossed Marlins manager Clayton McCullough after he came out to question the call and Stowers’ ejection.

Bohm hit an RBI single and Justin Crawford followed with a run-scoring double against Marlins starter Eury Pérez in the fourth to put Philadelphia ahead 2-1.

After he scored on Stott’s blast, Marsh was replaced because of an elbow contusion. Marsh had an X-ray and the results were clean, he told reporters following the game.

Pérez (2-3) gave up two runs and four hits in five innings. He walked two and struck out six.

Consecutive two-out doubles from López and Edwards in the first gave Miami an early lead. López had a homer overturned into a double when his drive deflected off Phillies centerfielder Crawford’s glove and the wall before it landed in the green background.

Up next

RHP Andrew Painter (1-2, 5.25) was set to start for Philadelphia on Saturday against RHP Max Meyer (1-0, 3.30).

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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb