Wheeler throws 6 shutout innings, Phillies beat Astros 6-1
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Zack Wheeler threw six shutout innings, Kody Clemens hit a two-run homer and the Philadelphia Phillies beat the Houston Astros 6-1 on Saturday for their fourth straight win.
Wheeler (3-1) allowed three hits, struck out seven and walked one in his third straight win. The right-hander was charged with seven runs in 11 innings over his previous two starts.
Nick Castellanos also connected for Philadelphia, and J.T. Realmuto had a sacrifice fly. Jake Cave had three hits, including an RBI single in the eighth.
Castellanos' solo drive in the fourth went off the train tracks in left field.
Clemens greeted Phil Maton with his second homer in the sixth, a shot to right that drove in Realmuto. Clemens, the son of former Astros pitcher Roger Clemens — who was on hand for the homer — graduated from Memorial High School in Houston and played college ball at the University of Texas.
Jeremy Peña connected for the Astros in the eighth. He also went deep on Friday.
Houston slugger Yordan Alvarez had two hits in his return to the lineup after missing the last four games with neck stiffness.
The Astros dropped to 6-9 at home this season.
Houston right-hander Cristian Javier (2-1) yielded three runs and seven hits in 5 2/3 innings.
Tempers flared in the fifth after Wheeler hit Martín Maldonado. Maldonado started walking toward the mound as he and Wheeler appeared to jaw at each other. Realmuto and Mauricio Dubón, who was on deck, helped push Maldonado to first.
Maldonado was hit by a pitch from Seranthony Dominguez in the seventh, but he calmly took his base.
FAMILY CONNECTION
Kody Clemens was acquired by Philadelphia in a trade with Detroit for Maton's brother, Nick.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Phillies: OF Cristian Pache was placed on the 10-day injured list with a torn meniscus in his right knee. Pache got hurt on Friday when he slipped going back to second base. Manager Rob Thomson said Pache would need surgery. OF Dalton Guthrie was recalled from Triple-A Lehigh Valley to take his spot on the roster.
Astros: OF Chas McCormick (lower back tightness) started an injury rehabilitation assignment with Double-A Corpus Christi.
UP NEXT
LHP Bailey Falter (0-4, 4.50 ERA) starts for the Phillies against Houston RHP José Urquidy (1-2, 5.64) in the finale of the three-game series on Sunday night.