Zack Wheeler and two relievers combined on a four-hit shutout, Alec Bohm had two hits and three walks and the Philadelphia Phillies earned a split of their two-game series in Washington with a 3-0 win against the Nationals on Wednesday night.
Wheeler (13-5) went seven innings, allowing four hits and a walk while striking out five. He has allowed three runs over 26 innings for a 1.04 ERA in his past four starts.
Jose Alvarado pitched a scoreless eighth and Jhoan Duran worked a 1-2-3 ninth for his 31st save, four of which have come against the Nationals (71-82).
Bryce Harper singled, walked and scored twice for the Phillies (84-68), who began the day holding the second NL wild card spot. They had lost four of five.
Daylen Lile had two hits for the Nationals, who had won four straight.
Washington opener Jared Simpson (1-1) allowed two runs on one hit and four walks, lasting just 1/3 of an inning.
Nationals pitchers allowed only five hits but tied a team record with 13 walks issued.
The Phillies took advantage of Simpson’s wildness in the first. With one out, Trea Turner, Harper and Luis Arraez walked. Bohm singled to center to score Turner, and Bryson Stott drew a bases-loaded walk to force in another run.
The Phillies got a pair of walks with one out in the third but could not capitalize.
CJ Abrams doubled to lead off the fourth for Washington, but Wheeler retired the next three batters to strand Abrams at third.
Washington relievers Riley Cornelio and Will Dion combined for 5 1/3 scoreless innings to keep the Nationals in it.
In the seventh, Harper singled against Richard Lovelady with one out and scored to make it 3-0 when Arraez doubled into the gap in right-center field.
The Phillies had runners at first and second with one out in the eighth against Luis Perales, but Kyle Schwarber struck out and Turner flied out.
Philadelphia walked the bases loaded with one out in the ninth before J.T. Realmuto lined into a double play.
