Wheeler deals, Sosa (again) delivers as Phillies take series over Rockies

Final Score: Phillies 5, Rockies 1

This is how the Phillies drew it up, right? Three consecutive All-Stars miss a golden opportunity to all but seal a series victory over the Rockies in the middle innings — only for Edmundo Sosa to deliver the knockout blow himself?

Of course it’s not, but based on the way Sosa has been going in the early season, his half of the equation can’t be a surprise. Three innings after the heart of the Phillies’ order struck out three times in a row to leave the bases loaded, the Phillies’ energy guy, who has been much more than an energy guy, doubled their two-run cushion with a bases-juiced knock in the eighth.

He’s hitting .600 with a 1.492 OPS this year. Yes, it’s a small sample. But he’s hot enough that perhaps intentionally walking the hitter before him, on Wednesday night Max Kepler, is not smart.

The Phillies didn’t exactly require it, per se, because Zack Wheeler delivered for the second time in as many starts to open the year. Hunter Goodman’s solo homer in the seventh was one of three hits all night off Wheeler, who struck out 10 in seven innings. He’s allowed five hits and two runs with 18 strikeouts in 13 innings this year.

Perhaps a big hit in the fifth would’ve saved some stress in the eighth, when Matt Strahm preserved a two-run advantage by stranding two runners. Two Phillies tallies later, José Alvarado sealed it in the ninth. 

Mathematically, the decisive runs came an inning before that letdown fifth. Alec Bohm’s leadoff single, plus Kyle Schwarber’s ensuing RBI double and heads-up baserunning — ever the burner, he bolted for home after Goodman threw J.T. Realmuto out at first on a dribbler in front of the plate — put them up 2-0. 

Taijuan Walker can lead them to a sweep on Thursday.