Nick Castellanos homers, scores twice as Phillies complete sweep vs. Rays

PHILADELPHIA — Major League Baseball had already disciplined Tampa Bay Rays reliever Edwin Uceta for intentionally hitting Nick Castellanos with a pitch before Wednesday night’s game had even started. But that didn’t stop the Phillies right fielder from dishing out some revenge where it really mattered: the scoreboard.

Castellanos scored two runs in the Phillies’ 3-2 win over the Rays, helping secure the series sweep and reducing the Phillies’ magic number to win the National League East to nine.

Castellanos’ first plate appearance of the night also happened to be his first plate appearance since getting drilled by Uceta Tuesday night, an act that led to a fracas on the field between the two teams.

The first pitch from Rays starter Shane Baz was a four-seamer Castellanos watched straight down the middle. He held off on another fastball high above the zone, before sending a slider to the left-field seats. The two-run homer was briefly reviewed, but stood, and it gave the Phillies an early 2-0 lead. Though the Rays tied things up in the sixth, Castellanos later came around to score the go-ahead run after drawing a walk in the sixth.

In the eighth inning, Castellanos was hit by another pitch, this time a sinker up and in from Rays reliever Kevin Kelly. But no benches cleared, and no supplemental discipline was applied.

The Phillies only totaled five hits, but that proved to be all the offense they needed, thanks to another solid outing from starter Zack Wheeler and a lights-out bullpen.

With J.T. Realmuto sitting out again with a bruised left knee, Aramis Garcia was behind the plate for Wheeler. Even without his usual catcher — or even his usual backup catcher, Garrett Stubbs — Wheeler posted another quality start. He struck out nine and held the Rays to two runs over six innings.

He did allow a lot of traffic on the base paths. Wheeler walked two batters to lead off the second inning, and though he responded with two consecutive strikeouts, the Rays plated one run off a single from nine-hole hitter Taylor Walls.

Wheeler was frequently able to pitch his way out of trouble. After giving up a leadoff triple to start the third inning, Wheeler struck out the next three batters to strand Brandon Lowe at third base. The only other run he allowed was a solo shot in the sixth inning from Jonathan Aranda, who worked a seven-pitch at-bat and crushed a sweeper for his second home run of the season.

Bryson Stott hit leadoff with Kyle Schwarber needing another day out of the lineup for his bruised and hyperextended left elbow. Stott finished 0 for 4.

Matt Strahm pitched a scoreless seventh. José Alvarado took over in the eighth inning and retired the side in order. He has not allowed a run in five appearances since returning from the restricted list.

Carlos Estévez faced the minimum in the ninth to seal the win. He did allow one hit, but the baserunner was quickly erased when Garcia caught him stealing second.