Phillies' Zack Wheeler gives up 5 runs in the 1st inning, 9-game winning streak ends with loss to Mariners
The Philadelphia Phillies' season-best nine-game winning streak came to an end Monday night in Seattle, as the Mariners' explosive five-run first inning fueled a 9-2 victory.
Cal Raleigh hit three home runs in the effort, and two other Seattle hitters added homers.
Julio Rodríguez launched a three-run homer in the first inning, and Raleigh followed up with a two-run drive to cap a five-run inning against struggling Phillies ace Zack Wheeler.
Raleigh and Cole Young opened the fifth with back-to-back homers, chasing Wheeler, and Raleigh connected for another solo shot off reliever Chase Shugart in the seventh to give him 17 home runs this season.
It was the first multihomer game of the year for Raleigh and the first three-homer game of his career. The switch-hitting catcher finished 3 for 3 with a walk and raised his batting average from .159 to .167.
He pulled all three homers into the right-field seats from the left side of the plate, becoming the 13th player in franchise history to hit three home runs in a game. The only other Seattle catcher to accomplish the feat was current Mariners manager Dan Wilson in April 1996.
Raleigh was runner-up for the AL MVP award last year, when he led the majors with 60 home runs and added 125 RBIs.
Wheeler (10-5) allowed a season-high eight runs on nine hits and five walks in four-plus innings. He struck out four.
Things started well for the Phillies, who took a 1-0 lead in the first on an RBI groundout from Alec Bohm, but Mariners starter Logan Gilbert (11-7) got out of a bases-loaded jam by striking out Bryson Stott.
J.T. Realmuto homered in the second off Gilbert to cut it to 5-2.
Seattle added a run in the third when Rodríguez scored on a bases-loaded wild pitch by Wheeler.
Gilbert gave up two runs and five hits in five innings. He struck out five and walked two.
Phillies RHP Aaron Nola (5-9, 5.12 ERA) faces Mariners RHP George Kirby (8-10, 4.18) on Tuesday.
