Phillies Smash Three Homers as Zack Wheeler Delivers Quality Start in 8-4 Victory Over Rays

TAMPA, Fla. — The Tampa Bay Rays' interim stadium, George M. Steinbrenner Field, has identical dimensions to those of Yankee Stadium.

This encompasses the small porch in right field, situated merely 314 feet away from home plate, a distance that is eight feet shorter compared to the wall at the storm-damaged Tropicana Field.

This could make the park more favorable for power hitters, particularly those who favor pulling their hits, typically left-handed batters. However, when right-handed player Alec Bohm hit a cutter over the Steinbrenner short porch during the Phillies' 8-4 victory on Tuesday, it was an impressive display of hitting to the opposite field—his first such homer since September 20, 2024.

Phillies starter Zack Wheeler was extremely efficient in the win, needing just 84 pitches through seven innings. Wheeler leaned heavily on his four-seam: of his nine total strikeouts, eight came on his fastball. He allowed zero walks.

The Phillies' bats supported him. They hit three home runs, all pulled to the opposite field.

In the second inning, Bohm hit a two-run homer, following three batters after Kyle Schwarber launched one out of the park into the left-center field stands. Prior to this game on Tuesday, Rays' starting pitcher Drew Rasmussen had conceded just two home runs throughout his initial 30 2/3 innings. However, both Schwarber and Bohm managed to double that tally by the conclusion of the second frame.

During the eighth inning, Castellanos smashed a three-run homer to the right-field side. In the ninth inning, he added another RBI with a two-out hit, once again directed towards right field.

Wheeler permitted just a single hit – a fluke blooper – until Brandon Lowe smacked a leadoff double in the fourth inning. Following suit, Yandy Díaz smashed a sinking pitch for a two-run homer, narrowing Tampa Bay’s deficit to one run. Throughout his starts this season, Wheeler has conceded at least one home run each time out.

He responded with back-to-back strikeouts to end the inning, and went on to retire the next nine Rays until Jonathan Aranda led off the seventh with a single. That runner was quickly erased, however, with a double play.

The Phillies broke things open in the eighth. Trea Turner and Bryce Harper hit back-to-back singles before Schwarber laced a hit to right-center out of reach of a diving Travis Jankowski, scoring Turner. Castellanos drove in three more when Rays reliever Mason Englert left a sinker up in the zone.

In the bottom of the inning, Orion Kerkering replaced Wheeler. During this time, the Rays managed to score once with a combination of a walk, a base hit, and a sacrifice fly. In the ninth, Matt Strahm came into pitch but he too conceded a run. He fanned the first hitter but then yielded a walk followed by another single; additionally, a wild pitch advanced two runners into scoring positions. Ultimately, Junior Caminero drove in Aranda from third base with a sacrifice fly.

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