Phillies top Brewers 5-1 with Harper’s homer and Wheeler’s strong pitching
- Bryce Harper hit a two-run homer in the sixth inning, breaking a 1-1 tie.
- Zack Wheeler pitched seven strong innings, allowing only one run and striking out six batters.
- The Phillies' victory brought them closer to clinching the NL East title, while the Brewers' championship hopes faced a delay.
On Tuesday night, the Philadelphia Phillies faced off against the Milwaukee Brewers in a crucial matchup between division leaders. The game was tightly contested until Bryce Harper broke the 1-1 tie in the sixth inning with a two-run homer, his 29th of the season, which also scored Kyle Schwarber. Zack Wheeler delivered a stellar performance on the mound, allowing just one run over seven innings, striking out six batters and walking none, further solidifying his Cy Young Award candidacy. The Phillies had taken an early lead when Nick Castellanos hit a solo home run in the second inning. The Brewers managed to tie the game in the fourth, but their momentum was halted by Wheeler's strong pitching. Philadelphia extended their lead in the seventh inning with an RBI single from Schwarber, followed by another run in the ninth from Trea Turner. With this victory, the Phillies moved closer to clinching the NL East title, lowering their magic number to four. Meanwhile, the Brewers saw their magic number drop to one, as they faced a setback in their pursuit of the NL Central championship. In roster news, the Phillies reinstated Edmundo Sosa from the injured list and made several other moves, including sending catcher Aramis Garcia to Triple-A. The series finale is set to feature Aaron Nola for the Phillies against Freddy Peralta for the Brewers, as both teams look to solidify their playoff positions.