Zack Wheeler, and some extra-inning heroics against Braves snaps Phillies 10-game losing streak

ATLANTA - Zack Wheeler waited 253 days.

What, then, were another 56 minutes?

So, Wheeler sat through a rain delay, during which the Boston Red Sox stunningly fired manager Alex Cora (back to that shortly). Then, he walked to the bullpen, warmed up, and came out firing 95- and 96-mph heat in his first start back from thoracic outlet syndrome.

It was all so ... Wheeler-like. And it was far and away the best thing the Phillies have seen all month.

But there was still the matter of winning. It had been 12 days, after all. And even though Wheeler left the Phillies with a one-run lead through five innings in Atlanta on Saturday night, it took a game-tying sacrifice fly in the eighth and a four-run outburst in the 10th to end The Skid at 10 games.

It's over, mercifully, after an 8-5 vanquishing of the Braves in the rain.

At last, though, the Phillies weren't all wet.

There were smiles for a change. And for embattled manager Rob Thomson, a reprieve, at least for one day, when it comes to the rumors that his job is in jeopardy. The chatter is only going to get louder after Cora lost his job.

It was Dave Dombrowski who hired Cora in Boston before the 2018 season. They remain close.

Thomson used six pitchers and every player on the bench save rookie Felix Reyes to give the Phillies their first win since April 13. Bryce Harper drove in the go-ahead runs with a bases-loaded single through the left side. Brandon Marsh also drove in two runs in the 10th.

But none of those players was as important as Wheeler.

Wheeler hadn't pitched in a major-league game since last Aug. 15. The next day, he was diagnosed with a blood clot near his right shoulder, the byproduct of a vein that was compressed between his rib and collarbone.

A few days later, Wheeler had the clot removed. A month after that, he underwent another surgery in which his rib was taken out to relieve the vein. Then came a long recovery, including five starts on a 30-day minor-league assignment in which he said he felt healthy but lacked his usual fastball velocity.

"I don't think I'm all the way there," he said on the eve of his return. "Definitely can say that, just being honest. But now time's up, so we've got to go. Right?"

Let there be no doubt that Wheeler was ready.

Wheeler's first six pitches - all fastballs - registered 95, 95.2, 94.6, 96.5, 95.3 and 96.2 mph, much closer to his pre-surgery 96.1 mph average than his 92.9 mph average in the minors. He struck out Braves leadoff hitter Ronald Acuna Jr. and got through three innings by allowing just two baserunners and throwing a total of only 37 pitches.

The Phillies staked Wheeler to a 2-0 lead on RBI triples from Adolis Garcia in the first inning and Bryson Stott in the fourth. But the Braves worked him over in a two-run fourth tying the game, forcing Wheeler to throw 34 pitches.

Harper drove in Garrett Stubbs with an infield single in the fifth inning to restore the lead. Wheeler gave up two runs in five innings and was replaced for the sixth by lefty reliever Tanner Banks, who promptly gave up two runs and the lead.

The Phillies tied it in the eighth when Schwarber tripled over falling center fielder Eli White's head. Harper hit a sacrifice fly to tie the score at 4-4.

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This story was originally published April 25, 2026 at 9:09 PM.