Wheeler, Phils blank Nats again

PHILADELPHIA » Zack Wheeler tossed three-hit ball over 6 2/3 innings to outpitch Max Scherzer, Jay Bruce hit a solo homer and the Philadelphia Phillies beat the Washington Nationals 3-0 Wednesday night.

Neil Walker was 3 for 3 with two RBIs for the Phillies, who’ve won eight of nine and three in a row to go two games over .500 for the first time since they were 79-77 last Sept. 24.

The defending World Series champion Nationals have lost five straight and eight of nine to fall to 12-22. They’ve been shut out in consecutive games.

Wheeler (4-0) struck out six and lowered his ERA to 2.20. David Phelps retired the four batters he faced in his debut with the Phillies. Brandon Workman finished for his eighth save in nine chances and fourth for Philadelphia.

Scherzer (3-2) gave up three runs and seven hits in six innings. He slammed his glove with two hands in the dugout after his final inning.

The three-time Cy Young Award winner ran into trouble in the fourth when he walked J.T. Realmuto and Jean Segura and Alec Bohm lined a single to load the bases with one out. Walker then slapped an opposite-field hit to leftcenter to score two.

Bruce drove his sixth homer the opposite way to left in the sixth to make it 3-0.

Victor Robles, Asdrubal Cabrera and Luis Garcia hit singles off Wheeler, who threw 108 pitches. Wheeler has been outstanding for the Phillies in his first season after signing a $118 million, five-year contract in free agency.

BACK TO BACK

Aaron Nola and Hector Neris combined on a fourhitter in Philadelphia’s 6-0 win Tuesday night.

WISE MOVE

Phillies manager Joe Girardi gave red-hot Rhys Hoskins, who is 0 for 17 against Scherzer, a night off. Walker replaced him

RHP Anibal Sanchez (1-4, 6.90 ERA) goes for the Nationals and RHP Zach Eflin (2-1, 4.10) starts for the Phillies as they seek a four-game sweep.

MATT SLOCUM — THE ASSOCIATED PRESS The Phillies’ Jay Bruce follows through after hitting a home run off Nationals pitcher Max Scherzer during the sixth inning Wednesday in Philadelphia.

MATT SLOCUM — THE ASSOCIATED PRESS Philadelphia Phillies’ David Phelps pitches during the seventh inning of a baseball game against the Washington Nationals, Wednesday, Sept. 2, 2020, in Philadelphia.