Zack Wheeler has no-hit bid for 7 1/3 innings as Phillies beat slumping White Sox 9-5

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Zack Wheeler pitched no-hit ball for 7 1/3 innings, Brandon Marsh homered and the Philadelphia Phillies extended their winning streak to five by beating the struggling Chicago White Sox 9-5 on Saturday night.

Wheeler (1-3) didn’t give up a hit until rookie Korey Lee’s one-out single on a hard grounder into right field that just eluded diving first baseman Bryce Harper. The 33-year-old right-hander struck out eight, walked two and allowed no runs while throwing 75 of 106 pitches for strikes.

Manager Rob Thomson said Wheeler's cutoff was 120 pitches, which would have matched his career high, and the right-hander aimed to be more efficient in the later innings.

“I told J.T. I was going to try to get some quicker outs those next couple of innings and try to go for it,” Wheeler said of catcher J.T. Realmuto. “Didn’t happen. At the end of the day, it’s a good start. It was a good day.”

A night earlier, Philadelphia’s Spence Turnbull didn’t allow a hit until Gavin Sheets’ one-out single in the seventh.

Chicago is batting a major league-low .190 and extended its franchise-worst start to 3-17. The White Sox have lost eight of their last nine games.

Philadelphia at 13-8 moved five games over .500 in April for first time since 2019.

Wheeler was dominant, allowing only two balls to leave the infield before Lee’s hit. His toughest batter probably was his first, when Nicky Lopez worked a 10-pitch walk leading off the game. That played big later when Wheeler’s pitch count was at 101 at the start of the eighth.

“Honestly, I was a little tired after that first at-bat,” Wheeler said. "I figured it was going to be a long day. But I was able to get some good outs after that."

Thomson had Seranthony Dominguez relieve after Lee’s hit.

“I was just trying to get on,” Lee said. “Everyone knew the no-hitter was going on so obviously trying to break it up.”

The pitch to Lee purposely was more hittable than it normally might have been.

“It was a sinker," Wheeler said. “I think it was in, maybe not in enough, but I was trying to get some quick outs right there, so I was trying to get a little more plate with those balls.”

The sellout crowd of 44,546 gave Wheeler a standing ovation as he exited toward the dugout.

“He was great,” Thomson said.

Marsh’s two-run homer in the second off Michael Soroka (0-3) gave Wheeler plenty of cushion. Trea Turner’s two-run double in the seventh made it 9-0, extending his streak of games with extra-base hits to seven.

Chicago scored all of its runs in the ninth off Ricardo Pinto.

José Alvarado earned his fourth save, entering with two outs and the bases loaded and retiring Andrew Benintendi on a first-pitch groundout.

Nick Castellanos tripled, had two singles and drove in a pair of runs for the Phillies.

In spite of his record, Wheeler has been dominant after agreeing last month to a $126 million, three-year contract covering 2025-27. He lowered his ERA to 2.22 and has struck out 38 batters, walked seven and given up 21 hits in 32 1/3 innings over five starts.

Before Lee’s single, only Braden Shewmake’s flyout to right leading off the sixth and Benintendi’s flyout to the center-field warning track with one out in the seventh left the infield.

TRAINER’S ROOM

White Sox: OF Paul DeJong did not come out to play the field in the fifth inning after getting plunked on the left elbow by Wheeler in the top half.

UP NEXT

Philadelphia goes for the three-game sweep Sunday afternoon when RHP Aaron Nola (2-1, 3.47) takes the mound against RHP Nick Nastrini (0-1, 3.60).

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Philadelphia Phillies' Brandon Marsh rounds the bases after hitting a two-run home run against Chicago White Sox pitcher Michael Soroka during the second inning of a baseball game, Saturday, April 20, 2024, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

Philadelphia Phillies' Bryce Harper follows through after hitting a run-scoring single against Chicago White Sox pitcher Tanner Banks during the sixth inning of a baseball game, Saturday, April 20, 2024, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

Philadelphia Phillies first baseman Bryce Harper catches a pop foul out by Chicago White Sox's Korey Lee during the fifth inning of a baseball game, Saturday, April 20, 2024, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

Chicago White Sox's Tanner Banks pitches during the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Philadelphia Phillies, Saturday, April 20, 2024, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

Philadelphia Phillies' Nick Castellanos dives towards third base after hitting a triple during the second inning of a baseball game against the Chicago White Sox, Saturday, April 20, 2024, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

Philadelphia Phillies' Zack Wheeler pitches during the first inning of a baseball game against the Chicago White Sox, Saturday, April 20, 2024, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

Philadelphia Phillies center fielder Johan Rojas catches a fly out by Chicago White Sox's Andrew Benintendi during the seventh inning of a baseball game, Saturday, April 20, 2024, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

Chicago White Sox second baseman Lenyn Sosa, right, and right fielder Gavin Sheets collide trying to catch a single by Philadelphia Phillies' Johan Rojas during the seventh inning of a baseball game, Saturday, April 20, 2024, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Ricardo Pinto wipes his face after being pulled during the ninth inning of a baseball game against the Chicago White Sox, Saturday, April 20, 2024, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Jose Alvarado, right, and catcher J.T. Realmuto celebrate after the Phillies won a baseball game against the Chicago White Sox, Saturday, April 20, 2024, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

Philadelphia Phillies' Zack Wheeler pitches during the second inning of a baseball game against the Chicago White Sox, Saturday, April 20, 2024, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

Philadelphia Phillies' Zack Wheeler pitches during the seventh inning of a baseball game against the Chicago White Sox, Saturday, April 20, 2024, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Zack Wheeler walks off the field after being pulled during the eighth inning of a baseball game against the Chicago White Sox, Saturday, April 20, 2024, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

NEW YORK (AP) — Kodai Senga's injury-delayed season debut for the New York Mets was cut short after 5 1/3 innings and 73 pitches when he strained his left calf while pitching against the Atlanta Braves on Friday night.

After inducing Austin Riley to pop up leading off the sixth, Senga pointed toward Pete Alonso and began sprinting off the mound to clear room for the first baseman. The 31-year-old right-hander grabbed his left calf and bounced for a couple steps before falling.

Senga held his calf as he was surrounded by catcher Francisco Alvarez, manager Carlos Mendoza, his interpreter and an athletic trainer. Senga and the trainer rubbed Senga’s calf before Senga got up, exchanged hugs and handshakes with teammates on the infield and limped off.

Senga, who missed the first 102 games with a right shoulder capsule strain, allowed just two hits — including Adam Duvall’s two-run homer in the second inning — while striking out nine. He retired his final 10 batters.

Runner-up to Arizona's Corbin Carroll for NL Rookie of the Year last season, Senga was 12-7 with a 2.98 ERA in 29 starts after signing a $75 million, five-year contract.

Senga began a minor league injury rehabilitation assignment on July 3 and went 0-0 with a 4.15 ERA in four starts, three for Triple-A Syracuse and one for Class A Brooklyn.

Right-handed reliever Eric Orze was recalled from Triple-A Syracuse and emerging reliever Dedniel Núñez was put on the 15-day injured list with a right pronator strain. Right-handers Adrian Houser and Shintaro Fujinami were designated for assignment.

Núñez, 2-0 with a 2.43 ERA and one save in 24 games, had an MRI that didn't reveal any elbow ligament damage, manager Carlos Mendoza said. The 28-year-old right-hander began feeling tightness following back-to-back appearances at Miami last Saturday and experienced discomfort again Wednesday,

Houser, acquired from Milwaukee with outfielder Tyrone Taylor on Dec. 20, was 1-5 with a 7.84 ERA and one save in seven starts and 16 relief appearances. He opened 0-3 with an 8.16 ERA in his first six starts before working himself into a late-inning bullpen role by going 1-1 with a 2.84 ERA in 12 appearances from May 10 through June 30.

Hauser was scored upon in all five of his outings this month with a 9.00 ERA.

“Even when we put him in the bullpen, he was always willing to take the baseball and do whatever the team needed,” Mendoza said. “He was such a professional. It was just hard for him to find that consistency.”

Fujinami signed to a $3.35 million, one-year deal and opened the season with Syracuse. He was recalled and placed on the 15-day injured list on May 13 with a strained right shoulder, then walked eight in 8 2/3 innings over nine rehab appearances since June 25.

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New York Mets' Kodai Senga, right, high-fives Luis Severino while walking into the dugout during the fourth inning of a baseball game against the Atlanta Braves, Friday, July 26, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Pamela Smith)

New York Mets' Kodai Senga gestures while walking into the dugout during the fourth inning of a baseball game against the Atlanta Braves, Friday, July 26, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Pamela Smith)

New York Mets' Kodai Senga (34) reacts as he leaves the field due to an injury during the sixth inning of a baseball game against the Atlanta Braves, Friday, July 26, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Pamela Smith)

New York Mets' Kodai Senga grabs his leg as he reacts to an injury during the sixth inning of a baseball game against the Atlanta Braves, Friday, July 26, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Pamela Smith)