Wheeler fans 9 in 6 sharp innings, Schwarber hits 41st homer to lift Phillies past Braves 4-2

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Zack Wheeler struck out nine in six sharp innings, Kyle Schwarber hit his MLB-leading 41st home run and the Philadelphia Phillies pulled within four games of the first-place Braves in the NL East with a 4-2 victory over Atlanta on Saturday night.

Luis Arraez had two hits and an RBI for the two-time defending division champion Phillies, who have won 16 of their last 20.

Ronald Acuña Jr. and Austin Riley went deep for Atlanta, which lost for just the third time in 12 games.

Wheeler (12-5) escaped a bases-loaded, no-out jam in the first inning and then looked more like the dominant right-hander he has been for much of his career after a shaky August in which he had a 6.26 ERA. Wheeler allowed one run on three hits.

Jhoan Duran tossed a 1-2-3 ninth for his 30th save.

After giving up a pair of singles and a walk to open the game, Wheeler got Michael Harris II on a foul pop fly, struck out Mauricio Dubón and induced an Ozzie Albies flyout.

Philadelphia scored two runs in the bottom of the frame off Martín Pérez (8-9) on Arraez’s RBI single and J.T. Realmuto’s bases-loaded walk. Acuña likely saved three runs with a stellar, inning-ending leaping catch of Bryson Stott’s liner to right-center field.

After Philadelphia took a three-run lead, Acuña clubbed an 0-1, 82-mph sinker from Wheeler into the second deck in left-center field in the third, pulling Atlanta within 3-1. Schwarber answered in the fourth with a drive to deep right to restore the three-run advantage.

The loudest cheers of the evening from the sellout crowd of 43,241 came when Wheeler fanned Acuña in the fifth after the Braves star danced around the bases with his home run trot two innings earlier.

Pérez was dominant in August, with a 1.76 ERA in six starts, but struggled in his first September outing. He surrendered four runs on seven hits in 3 2/3 innings.

Braves RHP Tyler Mahle (5-10, 4.25 ERA) faces Phillies RHP Aaron Nola (6-10, 4.93) in the third game of a four-game set on Sunday afternoon.

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Atlanta Braves' Ronald Acuña Jr., left, celebrates with third base coach Tommy Watkins, right, after hitting a solo home run in the third inning of a baseball game against the Philadelphia Phillies, Saturday, Sept. 5, 2026, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Laurence Kesterson)

Philadelphia Phillies Derek Hill, right, scores past Atlanta Braves catcher Drake Baldwin, left, on an RBI hit by Kyle Schwarber during the second inning of a baseball game, Saturday, Sept. 5, 2026, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Laurence Kesterson)

Atlanta Braves' Ronald Acuña Jr. (13) gestures as he runs the bases after hitting a solo home run in the third inning of a baseball game against the Philadelphia Phillies, Saturday, Sept. 5, 2026, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Laurence Kesterson)

Philadelphia Phillies designated hitter Kyle Schwarber hits a solo home run during the fourth inning of a baseball game against the Atlanta Braves, Saturday, Sept. 5, 2026, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Laurence Kesterson)

Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Zack Wheeler throws in the first inning of a baseball game against the Atlanta Braves, Saturday, Sept. 5, 2026, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Laurence Kesterson)

MIAMI (AP) — Michael Conforto homered and singled, Nico Hoerner had three hits and an RBI and the Chicago Cubs beat the Miami Marlins 6-5 on Saturday.

Michael Busch and Miguel Amaya each doubled and singled for the Cubs, who finished with 13 hits. Cubs star outfielder Pete Crow-Armstrong singled, walked and drove in a run, while Ian Happ had two hits and two RBIs.

Kyle Stowers and Griffin Conine homered for two of the Marlins’ six hits.

Ryan Rolison (8-1) got the final out in the seventh and first in the eighth for the win. Ryan Zeferjahn pitched the last 1 2/3 innings for his fifth save. After a 3-2 called third strike with two out to Conine in the ninth was overturned on the ABS review, Zeferjahn retired Otto Lopez on a flyout to right.

Cubs starter Javier Assad allowed three runs and three hits over 4 2/3 innings. Recalled from Triple-A Saturday, Assad walked five and struck out three.

Caleb Thielbar relieved Assad with a runner on in the fifth and allowed Conine’s drive into the upper deck in right that got Miami within 5-4.

Busch singled in a run in the sixth to make it 6-4 before Miami narrowed it to one again on Stowers’ solo homer in the seventh.

Conforto’s solo homer and Happ’s two-run single in the third off Marlins starter Ryan Gusto (1-4) in the third put the Cubs ahead 3-0.

Chicago padded the lead on Crow-Armstrong’s RBI single in the fourth.

Cubs RHP Clay Holmes (6-6, 2.09 ERA) was set to oppose RHP Tyler Phillips (4-6, 3.43) on Sunday in the series finale.

See AP’s full MLB coverage here

Chicago Cubs' Ian Happ hits a single to bring in two runs during the third inning of a baseball game against the Miami Marlins Saturday, Sept. 5, 2026, in Miami. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)

Chicago Cubs' Ian Happ runs to first base after hitting a single to bring in two runs during the third inning of a baseball game against the Miami Marlins Saturday, Sept. 5, 2026, in Miami. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)

Chicago Cubs manager Craig Counsell talks to referees Ben May and Chris Conroy (98) about a call during the fourth inning of a baseball game against the Miami Marlins Saturday, Sept. 5, 2026, in Miami. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)

Chicago Cubs' Seiya Suzuki and Miguel Amaya celebrate after scoring on a single by Ian Happ during the third inning of a baseball game against the Miami Marlins Saturday, Sept. 5, 2026, in Miami. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)

Chicago Cubs' Michael Busch hits a double during the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Miami Marlins Saturday, Sept. 5, 2026, in Miami. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)