PHILADELPHIA — Three batters in, Zack Wheeler reached a big career strikeout milestone. A little over an inning later, he broke the Phillies franchise record for the most consecutive strikeouts to begin a game with seven.
Wheeler’s first inning strikeout of Brice Turang was the 2,000th of his 12-year MLB career. He is the 96th pitcher in MLB history to strike out 2,000 batters. The last Phillies pitcher to reach 2,000 strikeouts was Aaron Nola on Aug. 8.
He said after the game that he knew going in to his start that he was three away from 2,000. It was a proud moment for him because he knew where he came from.
Once a young pitcher who struggled to throw strikes and stay healthy, Wheeler, at age 36 and a year removed from a major injury, is still at the top of his game.
“It’s really cool,” Wheeler said. “Special. Some of the guys asked me in here, ‘Would you ever have thought?’ The answer is no. Getting to the league, just trying to get your feet under you. Trying to last. Game to game early on, just trying to stay up in the big leagues. Trying to figure out how to throw strikes, that was hard for me. And just being where I’m at now, it’s pretty special.
“Huge thank you to all the catchers that I’ve had along the way to help me get here. Coaches and the guys that play behind me, it means a lot to me and I really appreciate everybody’s effort around me.”
The strikeouts kept coming. He struck out the side again in the second and came back out in the third to strike out Luis Lara swinging. That strikeout broke Brandon Duckworth’s Aug. 5, 2002 Phillies record of six straight strikeouts to begin a game.
The Brewers finally put a ball in play eight batters in, when Cooper Pratt grounded out to the third baseman Bryson Stott. Wheeler finished the game with 11 strikeouts.
Milwaukee recorded their first hit of the game in the fourth inning on a short fly ball behind third base from Garrett Mitchell that hit Stott’s glove. Mitchell later came around to score on a sacrifice fly from William Contreras.
The Phillies won the game over the Brewers 6-4, but Wheeler came out of it with a no-decision. He allowed a two-run single to Contreras that tied the game in the fifth. He was later lifted in the inning for Tim Mayza, who got the last out on a one-pitch groundout.
Wheeler said that the pitch he threw to Contreras that scored two, a low sinker in and off the plate, bothered him. He wanted that pitch inside, but higher.
“That’s probably what I was most upset about tonight,” Wheeler said. “Probably the pitch I hate the most so far this season.”
With the game tied 3-3 in the eighth, the Phillies scored three with two outs. A second run scored on a clutch Stott single when a throw from center field kicked off the foot of Alec Bohm, who rounded third and scored on the play.
Brandon Marsh drove home the third run of the inning on a double off the right field wall. Tuesday was the first multi-hit game for Marsh since Aug. 21.
“It’s been a rough go over the second half,” Marsh said. “But it’s just baseball. Everyone goes through it. Tonight was a lot of fun. We’ve got to carry this momentum into tomorrow.”
The Phillies’ magic number to make the postseason is down to two. They can clinch as early as tomorrow with a win on Wednesday night and another Arizona Diamondbacks loss, either tonight or on Wednesday. Aaron Nola will on the mound for Philadelphia. Brewers right-hander Logan Henderson gets the ball for Milwaukee.
Ted T
September 23, 2026 at 1:12 pm
Rooting for Marsh to build on last night. From the way he started the year, you know he has it in him.