Trea Turner hits grand slam, Zack Wheeler exits with back stiffness in Phillies' win over Dodgers
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Trea Turner hit his sixth career grand slam, Bryson Stott and Brandon Marsh also went deep and the Philadelphia Phillies welcomed back Bryce Harper and Kyle Schwarber from injuries with a 10-1 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers on Tuesday night.
"I thought Trea's grand slam gave us some distance," Phillies manager Rob Thomson said.
Turner's slam in a six-run fourth inning did indeed give Phillies the cushion needed to make sure they didn't push their luck with ace Zack Wheeler. The Phillies lost Wheeler on a steamy night with left low back tightness after five innings.
A 2024 All-Star, Wheeler (10-4) joined Aaron Nola and Ranger Suárez as a trio of Phillies pitchers with 10 wins before the All-Star break. It's the first time in franchise history the Phillies have three pitchers with 10 wins before the break.
Thomson and Wheeler both said the pitcher should make his next scheduled start Sunday against Oakland.
"Just playing it safe and we'll go from there," Wheeler said.
After a modest 5-4 mark with Harper and Schwarber sidelined — that included dropping two of three over the weekend in Atlanta — the Phillies flexed their muscle early against the Dodgers in a matchup of NL division leaders.
"It was just another good win against a really good team," Turner said. "It's another game, but at the same time you kind of want to see where you stack up at. Great ballclub and we've been playing some good baseball ourselves. To come out and win the way we want was pretty refreshing and kind of gives that confidence moving forward."
The Phillies busted the game open with a six-run fourth off Dodgers starter Bobby Miller (1-2) that saw the right-hander's ERA balloon from 6.12 to a 8.07. The Phillies led 4-0 when Turner — who left the Dodgers for Philadelphia on a $300 million, 11-year contract ahead of the 2023 season — drove an 86 mph slider into the left field seats.
"I think I stink with the bases loaded," Turner said.
No need for Phillies fans to manufacture a standing ovation for Turner this season. A 2024 NL All-Star, Turner has five homers in his last seven games.
Stott added a solo shot off Miller later in the fourth, his first since May 18.
"I'll just use all this failure as motivation going into my next outing," Miller said.
Harper went 0 for 4. Schwarber hit a two-RBI single in the second inning for a 3-0 lead. Harper strained his left hamstring running the bases in the ninth inning, and Schwarber strained his left groin while making a throw from left field in the eighth of a June 27 loss against Miami.
Wheeler threw 76 pitches — he struck out Dodgers leadoff hitter Shohei Ohtani on three pitches to open the game —and left with the Phillies holding a 9-1 lead. He allowed three hits, struck out seven and walked two. Wheeler allowed a solo home run to Cavan Biggio in the fifth inning.
He won't be available for the National League staff in next week's All-Star game. Wheeler and the Phillies agreed in March on a $126 million, three-year deal for 2025-27 that has the fourth-highest average salary in baseball history at $42 million.
Trainer's room
Dodgers placed All-Star right-hander Tyler Glasnow on the 15-day injured list with back tightness, retroactive to July 6.
The 30-year-old Glasnow is 8-5 with a 3.47 ERA in his first season with the Dodgers. He was acquired in a December trade with Tampa Bay and received a $136.5 million, five-year contract to return to Southern California.
Phillies CF Johan Rojas was hit by a pitch near his wrist in the seventh. The Dodgers then brought in position player Kiké Hernandez to pitch and he retired Schwarber to end the inning. Hernandez retired all four batters in his second career pitching apperance — both times at Citizens Bank Park (2018).
Next start
Phillies RHP Tyler Phillips gets the start Saturday against Oakland. He made his big league debut out of the bullpen Sunday in Atlanta and allowed one run in four innings. He struck out the first four he faced.
Up next
The Dodgers send RHP Gavin Stone (9-2, 3.03 ERA) to the mound against Phillies LHP Cristopher Sánchez (6-4, 2.96 ERA).
