Bryce Harper answers hecklers with home run in return from paternity list to power Phillies' win over Reds

CINCINNATI — After a few days on the paternity list, Bryce Harper returned to the Phillies clubhouse on Wednesday night. He was active ahead of Thursday’s game against the Reds, and didn’t waste any at-bats. With two outs in the top of the third inning and a runner on second, Harper launched a two-run home run 384 feet to right-center field.

Great American Ball Park was not full, so it was easy to hear fan commentary. Moments before the home run, the broadcast picked up a few Reds fans chanting “Overrated” and “Big Whiffer” at Harper.

When he crossed home plate, Harper looked at the crowd, shrugged his shoulders and said, “What happened?”

Harper’s home run gave the Phillies a 4-0 lead, en route to a 5-0 win over the Reds, and extended his hitting streak to seven games. The Phillies first baseman finished his day 2 for 3 with a walk and is now hitting .417/.500/.708 over his past 24 at-bats. Ironically, he did nearly the same thing in 2019, hitting a solo home run in 2019 the day he returned after the birth of his first child, Krew.

For whatever reason, the Phillies lineup hasn’t always shown up on days in which Zack Wheeler is pitching, but on Thursday, they did. The offense combined for five runs on 11 hits. Trea Turner went 3 for 5, Bryson Stott went 2 for 4 with two RBIs and Nick Castellanos recorded his first hit since Monday.

Wheeler continued his run of dominance. He allowed just one hit over six innings, and has given up just two hits over his last two outings. Wheeler became the second Phillies pitcher in the modern era to allow one hit over at least six innings in back-to-back starts, joining Marvin Freeman, who did it in 1986.

He allowed an uncharacteristically-high four walks, but was able to wiggle his way out of trouble. After throwing just 19 pitches in his first two innings, Wheeler needed 34 to get through the third, allowing two walks and a single to load the bases with two outs. Spencer Steer lined a ball to right field that almost went out, but Castellanos caught it at the wall to end the inning.

That was the extent of Wheeler’s trouble. He retired his next six batters, allowed two more walks in the sixth, but induced a double play and a pop out to prevent any runs from scoring.

He finished his day at eight strikeouts and now has 46 on the season, joining six other Phillies pitchers in the modern era who’ve reached that mark through their first six games.

Orion Kerkering entered in relief of Wheeler, pitching 1 2/3 innings, allowing one hit and one walk with two strikeouts. Jeff Hoffman finished it off, pitching 1 1/3 innings, allowing one hit with three strikeouts.