Wheeler Outduels Skenes as Phillies Complete Sweep of Pirates with 6-0 Victory

PITTSBURGH – In a marquee Sunday showdown between two of the National League’s premier arms, it was the veteran who taught the young ace a lesson.

Zack Wheeler tossed seven dominant shutout innings, and the Philadelphia Phillies tagged reigning Cy Young winner Paul Skenes for five earned runs en route to a 6-0 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park, completing a three-game sweep .

The win improved the Phillies to 24-23, pushing them above the .500 mark for the first time since April 7 . It capped an emphatic weekend in which Philadelphia outscored Pittsburgh 12-0 over the final two games, following Cristopher Sánchez’s complete-game shutout on Saturday .

Tale of Two Aces

The heavyweight battle lived up to its billing through four innings. Skenes, who entered with a microscopic 1.98 ERA and had carried no-hit bids into the seventh inning in each of his previous two starts, struck out the side in the first inning . Wheeler matched him zero for zero, and both pitchers had allowed just one hit apiece entering the fifth.

But Skenes blinked first.

Adolis García, who had already been hit by a pitch earlier in the game, drew a leadoff walk in the fifth – the first walk Skenes had issued in 39 consecutive innings . After J.T. Realmuto dropped a hit-and-run single to move García to third, rookie Justin Crawford delivered an RBI groundout to break the scoreless deadlock.

Trea Turner followed with an opposite-field RBI single, and the Phillies had a 2-0 lead .

Bryce Harper provided the exclamation point in the sixth, leading off with a towering home run into the Phillies’ bullpen in left-center field – his 12th of the season . The blast chased Skenes after Alec Bohm and Brandon Marsh followed with back-to-back hits.

Skenes (6-3) lasted just five-plus innings, allowing six hits and five earned runs while striking out seven. It tied a career-high for earned runs allowed and marked only the third time he has given up five runs in a start . His career-best scoreless innings streak ended at 20 .

Wheeler Dominates

Meanwhile, Wheeler was untouchable. The 35-year-old right-hander, who began the season on the injured list following thoracic outlet decompression surgery last year, looked every bit the ace the Phillies envisioned .

With his fastball velocity ticking up to an average of 96.1 mph – nearly 1.5 mph above his season average – Wheeler struck out eight, walked just one, and scattered four hits . His ERA dropped to a sparkling 1.99.

“He continues to show that he can still look like himself after the surgery,” the Phillies’ broadcast noted .

The Pirates thought they had broken through in the sixth when Brandon Lowe sent a deep fly toward the right-field seats. But a crew chief review determined fan interference – a spectator had reached over the railing to catch the ball – and Lowe was placed at second base. Wheeler induced a groundout on the next batter to extinguish the threat .

Offense Provides Insurance

Bryson Stott provided the final margin. After doubling home two runs in the sixth inning off Pirates reliever Isaac Mattson – both runs charged to Skenes – Stott launched a solo home run in the eighth inning, his third RBI of the game .

Jonathan Bowlan and Tanner Banks each pitched a scoreless inning to complete the five-hitter and seal Philadelphia’s second consecutive shutout .

Series Context

The sweep was especially sweet for the Phillies given the series opener on Friday, when Philadelphia rallied from a 6-0 deficit to stun the Pirates in extra innings . Sánchez then dominated Saturday with a career-high 13 strikeouts in a complete-game shutout .

“When you have two guys like Wheeler and Sánchez at the top of your rotation, you feel like you can win any series,” Harper said after the game.

The Phillies return home Monday to face the Cincinnati Reds, while the Pirates – who have lost four of five – will look to regroup after being swept at home .