Bryce Harper hit a go-ahead two-run home run in the sixth inning to support Zack Wheeler’s solid pitching performance, as the Philadelphia Phillies defeated the Milwaukee Brewers 5-1 on Tuesday night in a clash of division leaders.
Nick Castellanos contributed a solo homer, and Trea Turner went 3-for-5 to help the Phillies edge closer to securing the NL East title, while delaying the Brewers’ celebration of the NL Central crown.
Despite the Brewers’ 4-3 loss to the Chicago Cubs, which dropped their magic number to one, the Phillies (91-60) now hold a tiebreaker over Milwaukee (87-64) as both teams vie for playoff positioning. The Phillies reduced their magic number to clinch the NL East to four, and just one to secure a playoff spot.
Phillies manager Rob Thomson emphasized the importance of the win. “We needed this one,” he said. “Getting the tiebreaker is going to be crucial down the stretch.”
Wheeler (16-6) pitched seven innings, allowing just four hits and one run, while striking out six without issuing a walk. His ERA dropped to 2.56, and he’s now gone nine consecutive starts pitching at least six innings and allowing no more than two runs.
Wheeler’s 16 victories put him second in the NL behind Atlanta’s Chris Sale in the Cy Young race. Harper praised Wheeler’s performance, stating, “He’s the Cy Young, no question about it. I thought he got robbed a few years ago, but this year, he’s earned it.”
Harper broke the 1-1 tie with his 29th home run, scoring Kyle Schwarber, who had led off the inning with a single. Brewers pitcher Frankie Montas (7-11) struck out 10 over 5 2/3 innings, giving up three runs on six hits and two walks.
The Phillies extended their lead in the seventh, with Schwarber delivering an RBI single after Edmundo Sosa doubled. Turner later added an RBI single in the ninth to seal the victory.
Brewers manager Pat Murphy acknowledged Philadelphia’s offensive strength, saying, “You can’t give them anything. We just couldn’t keep the pressure on.”
Castellanos opened the scoring with a 430-foot homer in the second inning, his 21st of the season. The Brewers evened the score in the fourth when William Contreras scored on Garrett Mitchell’s triple, but Mitchell was stranded at third.
In injury updates, the Phillies reinstated Sosa from the injured list, and outfielder Austin Hays ran at full intensity for the first time since recovering from a kidney infection.
