In MLB, pitching matters.
A good offense wins games, but a dominant pitching staff wins championships.
The Philadelphia Phillies know this, and that’s why they sent their ace and best pitcher to the mound to open their NL Wild Card series matchup against the Miami Marlins on Tuesday.
The Marlins are not a very good offensive team.
Zack Wheeler is a fantastic pitcher.
The result was very much expected: the right-hander dominated the Marlins on his way to a win.
.@Phillies ace Zack Wheeler delivered big time in Game 1 of the #WildCard. pic.twitter.com/RRBTkYV6jm
— MLB (@MLB) October 4, 2023
In 6.2 innings pitched, Wheeler conceded five hits and a single run.
He didn’t walk anyone, and struck out eight batters.
Six of the punchouts were concentrated on two hitters: Jorge Soler and Jon Berti fanned three times each.
Wheeler, who had a 3.61 ERA and 212 strikeouts in 192 frames during the regular season, was in complete control.
He was actually a key cog in the Phils’ 2022 deep playoff run.
If he is in top form, the Phillies will be very hard to beat with that long, productive lineup.
On Tuesday, that was the case.
Offensively, he was supported by Nick Castellanos, who hit two doubles and drove in a run, and Trea Turner, who went 2-for-3 with a two-bagger.
Every starter in the lineup had at least one hit for the Phillies on Tuesday, against a quality pitching staff.
If they win again on Wednesday, the Phillies would advance to the Division Series.
The post MLB Highlights A Phillies Star From Game 1 Win appeared first on The Cold Wire.