PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Zack Wheeler tossed seven strong innings and J.T. Realmuto and Nick Castellanos homered to help Philadelphia complete a three-game sweep of the World Series champion Texas Rangers with a 5-2 win Thursday, the Phillies’ seventh series sweep this season.
Not the world champs, not a 45-minute weather delay, not even twice wasting bases-loaded opportunities could stop a Phillies team that won its sixth straight game and has steamrolled through the spring.
Not even weekday baseball could curtail attendance — with a sellout crowd of 42,377 stuffed inside Citizens Bank Park to watch the Phillies improve to 22-8 at home. They are 37-14 and have the best record in baseball, with a slew of notable achievements stuffed inside that record.
Such as, 17-3 in May. Or how about this: The Phillies either split or won each of their last 15 series, the longest span since a 19-series stretch in 1984.
They are 29-6 over their last 35 games, which matches the best 35-game span in franchise history, last done in 1892. And the Phillies improved to 15-3 since they lost two-time All-Star shortstop Trea Turner to a left hamstring injury.
YANKEES 5, MARINERS 0
NEW YORK (AP) — Luis Gil allowed one hit in 6 1/3 innings, Giancarlo Stanton and Aaron Judge homered early off Luis Castillo and New York beat Seattle to split their four-game series.
Gil (6-1) retired his first nine batters before giving up an infield single to J.P. Crawford in the fourth. The right-hander struck out eight and walked three after whiffing 14 to set a Yankees rookie record Saturday against the White Sox.
After Crawford’s hit, Gil retired the next six batters before issuing two walks in the sixth. Following a walk to Dylan Moore, Gil received a visit from pitching coach Matt Blake and ended the inning by fanning Luke Raley on a 97 mph fastball.
In the seventh, Gil retired Mitch Garver on a flyball to the warning track and then was pulled. The pitcher exited to a nice hand from the crowd and tipped his cap as he walked to the dugout.
Gil won his fifth straight start and sixth consecutive decision. He has allowed two runs over 30 2/3 innings in his last five starts.
GIANTS 7, PIRATES 6
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Paul Skenes allowed one run over six solid innings but San Francisco rallied against Pittsburgh’s bullpen for a win.
Matt Chapman hit a three-run homer off Hunter Stratton (1-1) in the eighth and Brett Wisely delivered a go-ahead single off Aroldis Chapman five batters later as the Giants overcame a big deficit for the second time in less than 24 hours.
San Francisco trailed by five early in a 9-5 extra-inning victory on Wednesday. The Giants were down 6-2 through seven Thursday after Bryan Reynolds’ second home run in two days appeared to give the Pirates plenty of wiggle room to help Skenes win his second consecutive start.
Not this time.
Chapman, Wisely, Lamont Wade Jr. and Heliot Ramos had two hits apiece for the Giants, who won for just the fifth time in their last 13 road games. Luke Jackson (2-1) picked up the win by working the seventh. Tyler Rogers pitched the ninth for his first save this season.
The comeback came after Skenes had long since exited following another impressive outing.
The 6-foot-6 right-hander struck out just three in his third major league start but expertly worked his way around traffic on the bases. The 21-year-old rookie allowed six hits (all singles) with a walk while lowering his ERA to 2.25.
PADRES 6, REDS 4, 10 INNINGS
CINCINNATI (AP) — Fernando Tatis Jr. doubled home the tiebreaking run in the 10th inning and San Diego beat reeling Cincinnati to secure a series win.
Luis Arraez, who had 10 hits in the three-game set, reached on a bunt single leading off the 10th that sent automatic runner Luis Campasano from second base to third. Tatis ripped a double down the left-field line off Sam Moll (0-1) to drive in Campusano, and Arraez scored on Jake Cronenworth’s sacrifice fly.
Cincinnati went quietly in the bottom half. Padres closer Robert Suarez struck out Elly De La Cruz, walked Jeimer Candelario and got Mike Ford and Spencer Steer on flyouts to wrap up his 14th save.
Jeremiah Estrada (1-0) struck out five in two scoreless innings for his first major league win.
Nick Martini snapped an 0-for-17 slump with a two-run homer in the sixth that tied the game at 4 for Cincinnati.
San Diego scored twice in each of the first two innings. Manny Machado had a two-run double, and Arraez delivered an RBI single.
BRAVES 3, CUBS 0
CHICAGO (AP) — Jarred Kelenic hit a solo homer, rookie AJ Smith-Shawver worked 4 1/3 three-hit innings in his first start of the season and Atlanta topped Chicago.
The Braves have won two straight games and three of four after a four-game skid.
Smith-Shawver, one of Atlanta’s top pitching prospects, combined with five relievers for a four-hitter. The 21-year-old right-hander, recalled from Triple-A Gwinnett for the game, struck out four and walked two.
Dylan Lee (1-1) followed Smith-Shawver and struck out one in one inning for the win. Raisel Iglesias pitched a perfect ninth for his 12th save.
Ozzie Albies and Marcell Ozuna drove in runs in the eighth off Kyle Hendricks, who made just the second regular-season relief appearance of his 11-season career. Albies singled and Ozuna had a sac fly off the 34-year-old right-hander who was moved to the bullpen this week after going 0-4 with a 10.57 ERA in seven starts.
Ozuna went 0 for 2 with a walk and his 15-game hitting streak was halted.
ATHLETICS 10, ROCKIES 9, 11 INNINGS
OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Tyler Soderstrom drew a bases-loaded walk to cap a five-run 11th inning and Oakland stunned Colorado in the rubber match of a three-game series.
Oakland trailed 9-5 before Max Schuemann doubled home a run to start the winning rally. Abraham Toro followed with an RBI single, and JJ Bleday tied the score with a two-run homer.
Peter Lambert (2-3) loaded the bases on an intentional walk to Kyle McCann before walking Soderstrom to force in the winning run.
J.D. Davis and Daz Cameron also homered for the A’s, who overcame a pair of four-run deficits and sent the Rockies to their fifth loss in six games following a seven-game winning streak.
Colorado starter Ryan Feltner pitched six scoreless innings and the Rockies took a 4-0 lead into the seventh but couldn’t close it out.
BLUE JAYS 9, TIGERS 1
DETROIT (AP) — Kevin Gausman struck out a season-best 10 in six innings, Daulton Varsho hit a tiebreaking homer in the seventh and Toronto pulled away for a victory over skidding Detroit.
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Isiah Kiner-Falefa also went deep as the Blue Jays (23-26) won for the fourth time in five games. Bo Bichette had three hits.
Detroit (23-27) has lost five straight.
Gausman (3-3) allowed one run and three hits as the teams played without replay review available for much of the game because of a power failure that disrupted both club broadcasts.
There were no calls that appeared likely to trigger a manager’s challenge before the replay system was restored in the seventh.
Jack Flaherty (1-4) gave up three runs and seven hits in 6 1/3 innings. He walked one and struck out nine.
