PHILADELPHIA — There was a special moment Wednesday at Citizens Bank Park when Zack Wheeler took the mound to warm up for his first home start since Aug. 2 of last season, and more than 36,000 fans soaked in the return of one of the greatest pitchers in franchise history as Alice In Chains' "Rooster" blared through the stadium.
It took until late in the game, but the Phillies were able to turn that energy into a fourth consecutive victory, defeating the Athletics 6-3.
Jacob Wilson got the A's on the board first with a flare into right field in the top of the third inning that plated Lawrence Butler, who just beat the throw from Adolis García:
Willy puts us on the board first 👏 pic.twitter.com/fZYX2RGOD0
Reigning AL Rookie of the Year Nick Kurtz extended the lead in the top of the fifth inning when he singled into right field, with García's throw again just shy of gunning the runner out at the plate:
Kurtz drives another in 🤝 pic.twitter.com/s2UYHrha2U
Brandon Marsh — starting in center field, despite the left-handed Jeffrey Springs being on the mound for the A's — led off the bottom of the fifth with a triple over the head of Butler. Two batters later, Felix Reyes plated Marsh with an RBI groundout to cut the deficit to 2-1.
The A's quickly recouped that run when Tyler Soderstrom took Wheeler deep to lead off the top of the sixth inning:
Tyler SoderSTRONG pic.twitter.com/RYl7093LJr
Wheeler went on to pitch 6 1/3 innings, allowing five hits and three earned runs, while striking out four and walking one. He has a 3.18 ERA across his first three starts of 2026.
Zack Wheeler on what it was like taking the mound with “Rooster” playing and fans cheering for his first home start since last August. 🐔
(Via @TimKellySports) pic.twitter.com/Mjo0q5rXeB
While García came up just short of a pair of outfield assists earlier in the game, he didn't come up short of anything on a sixth-inning swing where he hit a Springs offering 421 feet for his fourth home run of the season:
Adolis García sends a ball HIGH in the air🚀 pic.twitter.com/EmKdQs8Cst
The Phillies were able to do damage against Jack Perkins in the bottom of the eighth inning, thanks in part to long-time nemesis Jeff McNeil butchering what should have been a fielder's choice and allowing the Phillies to begin the inning with runners on first and second and no one out. García then followed with a single, before Edmundo Sosa — starting over Bryson Stott — singled in two runs in the forms of Kyle Schwarber and Bryce Harper to give the Phillies the 4-3 lead:
Pitches love Sosa👀 pic.twitter.com/9yaUOMIZxJ
Before the inning was out, both Brandon Marsh and Stott — who came in to pinch hit for Alec Bohm in the seventh inning — singled in runs, giving the Phillies the 6-3 lead they would win by. Brad Keller loaded the bases in the ninth, but ultimately locked down his third save of the season.
With the win, the Phillies improve to 17-20, and 8-1 since Don Mattingly took over as interim manager.
The Phillies — in their powder blues — will go for the sweep Thursday evening, with J.T. Ginn (0-1, 4.30 ERA, 4.88 FIP across 29 1/3 innings) set to face off with Andrew Painter (1-3, 5.28 ERA, 3.59 FIP across 29 innings).
