Edmundo Sosa, Phillies rally in eighth to clinch series win against A’s
PHILADELPHIA — Zack Wheeler took the mound at Citizens Bank Park for the first time in 277 days. It was his third start back since undergoing thoracic outlet decompression surgery in September. He is both ahead of schedule and pitching better than expected.
Wheeler pitched well and his team put together a four-run eighth inning comeback in a 6-3 win over the Athletics on Wednesday night. Edmundo Sosa drove in two with a bases loaded single to turn a deficit into a lead. Brandon Marsh, facing left-hander Hogan Harris, drove in an insurance run on an RBI single while down 0-2 in the count. In his second at-bat off the bench, Justin Crawford made it a three-run game on an RBI groundout.
It’s the first time the Phillies have won a game this year against a non-opener left-handed starter. They put up two runs against Jeffrey Springs over 5 1/3 innings, but came back in the eighth against right-hander Jack Perkins.
Wheeler pitched into the seventh inning for the first time since his complete game shutout against the Cincinnati Reds on July 6, 2025. He allowed three runs on five hits and struck out four. The A’s squeezed out the first run against him in the third. Jacob Wilson, the A’s skilled contact hitter, went down and got a low splitter from Wheeler for an excuse-me single that scored the speedy Lawrence Butler from second. The right fielder Adolis García made it a close play with his arm, but Butler was able to evade the tag with a great slide.
In the fifth, the No. 9 batter Zack Gelof reached on a leadoff double and star first baseman Nick Kurtz drove him in on an RBI single. Tyler Soderstrom homered to lead off the sixth.
Marsh, who is seeing more opportunities against lefties this year, led off the fifth with his first triple of the year. With the infield back, Reyes hit a routine grounder to short to drive in the Phillies’ first run of the game. Adolis García hit his fourth home run of the year in the sixth.
The Phillies are now just three games under .500. The Phillies entered play last Monday ten games under .500. They will go for the sweep on Thursday. Rookie Right-hander Andrew Painter will take the mound. He will be opposed by right-hander J.T. Ginn.