Kyle Freeland falters, Zack Wheeler dominates as Phillies beat Rockies

Friday night, aft watching German Marquez deftly grip the Phillies successful an 11-2 Rockies win, manager Bud Black talked shot philosophy.

“There’s work for that position. The starting pitcher is the astir captious subordinate connected the team, each night,” Black said. “His performance, much often than not, dictates whether we triumph oregon lose.”

Saturday night, right-hander Zack Wheeler dictated that the Phillies would win. Wheeler dominated the Rockies successful a 6-1 triumph astatine Citizens Bank Park, pitching 6 2/3 innings of one-run, four-hit baseball. He fanned 8 and walked conscionable one.

Meanwhile, Rockies lefty Kyle Freeland, who is faltering successful September, didn’t measurement up. For the 2nd consecutive start, Freeland was not sharp. The Phillies reached him for 4 runs connected six hits implicit six innings, including a solo homer by Jean Segura successful the fifth.

But it was the 4 walks — 1 intentional, but 3 successful the 4th inning — that wounded Freeland the most. After Segura led disconnected the 4th with a single, Freeland walked 3 of the adjacent 4 hitters helium faced, with Didi Gregorious’ escaped walk bringing location a run.

The Phillies’ three-run 4th was highlighted by a gutsy, old-school astonishment by Odúbel Herrera. With 2 outs and the bases inactive loaded, Herrera dragged a cleanable bunt that dribbled down the 3rd baseline for a two-run double. With 3rd baseman Ryan McMahon shaded toward second, the accidental was determination for Herrera. He took it and threaded the needle past a scrambling McMahon, driving successful Bryce Harper and Andrew McCutchen.

In Freeland’s past start, helium was charged with 7 earned runs implicit 4 1/3 innings vs. the Giants astatine Coors Field. He issued 3 walks and gave up 4 location runs. Freeland has served up 8 homers implicit this past 5 starts aft allowing lone 3 homers successful his erstwhile 10 starts.

Colorado’s lone tally came disconnected the bat of Trevor Story successful the sixth. He deed a massive, two-out solo homer disconnected Wheeler. Story dropped to 1 genu and added a flamboyant bat flip aft connecting for a 441-foot blast to near field. The shot came disconnected his bat astatine 107 mph and landed successful the 2nd deck. It was Story’s 21st homer of the season.

The Rockies had immoderate scoring chances, but squandered them, going 0-for-9 with runners successful scoring position.

Philly sewed up the triumph with solo homers by Brad Miller and Harper successful the eighth disconnected right-hander Tyler Kinley.

Colorado, which won the archetypal 2 games of the four-game series, volition effort to clinch a uncommon roadworthy bid triumph connected Sunday afternoon.