Zack Wheeler’s Complete Game Earns Phillies Series Win Over Reds
Jul 6, 2025; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Phillies catcher J.T. Realmuto (10) and pitcher Zack Wheeler (45) celebrate win against the Cincinnati Reds at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images
Zack Wheeler kept wheeling and dealing.
Despite the Phillies’ failing to execute with runners on throughout the game, Wheeler threw his first complete game since August of 2021, allowing just one baserunner in the Phils’ 3-1 victory over the Reds, closing out another series win.
Though the Phillies finished the game with seven hits, they struggled to see the ball and make solid contact when it mattered most for them. It wasn’t until the eighth inning that a 405-foot home run from Bryson Stott put the Phillies ahead for good, giving Wheeler the room he needed.
June Was Just the Preview for Wheels
The result may not have turned out better for the Phillies if it were not for the man on the mound, who continued last month’s dominance in his first July start. In today’s game, Wheeler went all nine innings, facing one runner over the minimum.
A fifth inning home run from a former Phillie, Austin Hays, was the only baserunner today for the Reds, as Wheeler faced 28 batters, 27 being retired. Wheeler, in his complete game, threw just 108 pitches today, 74 for strikes. In today’s era of baseball, a complete game with 108 pitches is very impressive, let alone a complete game in 2025.
The other stat that finished an incredible line for Wheeler was his strikeout total, which was 12 strikeouts today. These 12 strikeouts came through Wheeler’s consistency and endurance, as Zack continued to reach 97, 98, and even 99 mph throughout nine innings.
This performance makes Wheeler the first Phillie with 12 or more strikeouts, no walks, and one or zero hits allowed in a single game for the last 125 seasons.
After today, Wheeler is first in the National League in strikeouts and WHIP, and he is second in the NL for ERA, which after these nine innings today is down to 2.17 (down 0.10). Wheeler’s month of June may turn out to be the start of shutdown dominance for the 35-year-old ace.
Though there seemed to be much negative during today’s win over Cincinnati, the positives from Wheeler became the story of the game, as this Phillies pitching staff, time after time, shows why it is best in all of the majors, bar none.
More Failure with RISP
The Phillies struck out nine times today with runners in scoring position, some following each other. The story gets worse, as there were situations where the Phillies stranded runners at third with no outs.
The worst scenario came in the sixth inning, Nick Castellanos singled to send Alec Bohm to third, with no outs. The Phillies were not able to bring Bohm home, as the Reds struck out three of the next four batters (Stott reached on a walk, loading the bases) for three outs to end the inning for the Phillies.
Another came during the seventh inning, where an error gave the Phillies the opportunity to strike, as Bryce Harper reached third. The Phillies went down silent, however, as Castellanos struck out swinging on a questionable pitch to swing at. This strikeout was on three pitches, adding to the disappointment.
Stott Shot Put Philadelphia Ahead
Despite the struggles the Phillies faced throughout today’s game, they were put aside as Stott, who had been in trouble as of late, showed what he had been working on, as he launched a home run off the auxiliary scoreboard to put the Phillies ahead by two runs.
It was mentioned that the Phillies coaching staff gave Stott a better approach to prevent reoccurring outs, such as a pop-up to left or a pop-up to second base. Working through the ball today helped not only Stott, but helped the Phillies, as the home run put them on top in the bottom of the eighth.
Hopefully, this home run for Stott can help him and his stats at the plate.
Phillies Hit the Road Before the All-Star Break
The Phillies fly west to San Francisco and San Diego for two three-game series before the 2025 MLB All-Star Game.
Cristopher Sanchez will make the start tomorrow for game one against the Giants, starting at 9:45 PM.
Luke Raidy
Luke has covering the the Flyers and Phillies for Philly Sports Reports since 2025. He is a junior at North Penn and being a huge Philly sports fan has brought so many experiences, such as going to the NLDS, NLCS, and even the World Series in 2022. He has also met former superstars in the city of Philadelphia, such as Wayne Simmonds from the Flyers. Though being a student-athlete, Luke enjoys his time where he is writing and reporting on Philadelphia sports.
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