PITTSBURGH -- Several hours before Sunday’s 6-0 win against the Pirates, Phillies manager Don Mattingly was asked the key to success against right-hander Paul Skenes. The skipper didn’t hesitate and mentioned that his own pitcher, right-hander Zack Wheeler, needed to be just as good as Skenes.
“Honestly, you have to stay in the game with [Skenes]. You can’t give him a three- or four-run cushion,” Mattingly said. “You can’t beat this guy up. It happened maybe once this year. You can’t count on anything like that. Your starter has to be good. We have the right guy.”
Wheeler turned out to be the right guy, outdueling Skenes by a long mile at PNC Park. Wheeler pitched seven scoreless innings, allowed four hits and struck out eight. He retired the first five batters he faced before Konnor Griffin reached base on an infield single in the second. Pittsburgh had a runner in scoring position just once against Wheeler, and that was in the sixth, when Brandon Lowe doubled with two outs.
Skenes, on the other hand, was out of the game with no outs in the sixth inning. At first, it looked like he would dominate the Phillies after he struck out the side in the opening frame, but Philadelphia gave Wheeler the run support he needed starting in the fifth. Adolis García scored the first run of the game on a groundout by Justin Crawford. Trea Turner followed and singled to right, scoring J.T. Realmuto.
Skenes couldn’t get anybody out in the next frame. Bryce Harper led off with a home run. After he allowed a single to Alex Bohm and a double to Brandon Marsh, Skenes was removed from the game in favor of Isaac Mattson, who allowed a two-run double to Bryson Stott.
Philadelphia swept the three-game series to move a game over .500 (24-23). Not bad considering the Phillies were 9-19 when they named Mattingly their interim manager on April 28.