Zack Wheeler dominates Rockies as Phillies cruise to 5-1 win at The Bank

On a night when the air was crisp, the sleeves were long, and the bats were mostly silent, Zack Wheeler showed up at Citizens Bank Park in short sleeves and full command.

The Phillies ace was electric in a 5-1 win over the Rockies, reminding everyone exactly why the team cut the check for $126 million this offseason. Wheeler went seven innings, allowed just three hits and one run, and struck out 10 on 105 pitches. He also generated a career-high 25 whiffs in a regular season game — the most by any pitcher in the majors this season.

Zack Wheeler was DEALING yesterday

Wheeling and dealing.

Zack Wheeler owns a 1.75 ERA with 36 strikeouts in his last 4 starts against the Rockies. pic.twitter.com/43rci1eRLK

— MLB (@MLB) April 3, 2025

We’re not exaggerating when we say he was in rare company. Zack Wheeler became just the 18th pitcher since 1912 to record 13 straight starts of six or more innings with two earned runs or fewer, joining legends like Tom Seaver, Greg Maddux, and Randy Johnson.

Let that sink in. Zack Wheeler isn’t just pitching well — he’s putting together one of the most dominant stretches we’ve ever seen from a Phillies starter. And yes, that includes the golden eras of Carlton, Hamels, and Halladay.

Phillies Offense Does Just Enough

Offensively, it wasn’t a fireworks show, but it didn’t need to be. The Phillies did the little things right.

• Kyle Schwarber opened the scoring in the 4th with an RBI double that chased Alec Bohm home from first. Schwarber would later score on a heads-up play, sprinting home on a soft tapper in front of the plate to make it 2-0.
• Edmundo Sosa singled and scored on a Trea Turner RBI knock in the 7th.
• Johan Rojas had a perfect night at the plate, going 2-for-2 with a walk, a bunt single, and a key sac bunt to move Sosa into scoring position in that same frame.

Edmundo Sosa. They love him.#RingTheBell | #Phillies pic.twitter.com/5Hxv0K4MXQ

— The Liberty Line (@LibertyLinePHL) April 3, 2025

Rob Thomson didn’t hold back after the game:

“This was the best Major League game [Rojas] has played,” Thomson said. “Exactly what he needs to do — move runners, put the ball in play, play elite defense.”

It wasn’t flashy. It was just good, clean, winning baseball.

Pitching Wins Games

Wheeler kept Colorado hitters guessing all night, mixing in a sharp curveball, nasty splitters, and a fastball that touched 97 mph even in the seventh inning. The only blemish was a solo homer from Hunter Goodman — a mistake pitch that briefly made it 2-1. That was it.

The bullpen handled the rest. José Alvarado touched triple digits again and Jordan Romano closed the door.

The Phillies improve to 4-1 and have now taken the first two games of the series. Zack Wheeler? He’s looking every bit like the early favorite for the NL Cy Young. Quietly dominant. Methodically elite.

He doesn’t need the hype. The numbers do the talking.

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