PHILADELPHIA — Toronto reliever Tyler Rogers allowed two runs in the ninth inning after he twice loaded the bases and retired All-Star outfielder Brandon Marsh on a groundout to end the game and preserve the Blue Jays’ 5-4 win over the Philadelphia Phillies on Friday night. Rogers walked two and Kyle Schwarber reached on catchers’ interference to open the ninth. Trea Turner grounded into a forceout to make it 5-3. Bryce Harper’s RBI single pulled the Phillies to 5-4. After a walk loaded the bases, Alec Bohm swung at the first pitch and a short chopper got Turner out at home. Marsh grounded out and Rogers somehow hung on for his fourth save. Andrés Giménez and Josh Smith homered for Toronto. The Blue Jays knocked Philadelphia ace Zack Wheeler — who pitched a combined five innings in his last two starts — out of the game with one out and the bases loaded in the sixth inning. The right-hander threw 116 pitches, his highest total since he threw 118 in a May 6, 2021, shutout against Milwaukee. Wheeler (10-3) allowed four runs on seven hits and walked five. The Blue Jays added a sacrifice fly in the sixth inning for a 4-2 lead and help spoil the result on former Phillies second baseman Chase Utley’s induction into the team’s Wall of Fame. Utley should have grabbed a bat. The Phillies managed only five hits and their star sluggers came up small in the big moments — notably when Luis Arráez, the three-time batting champion and trade-deadline acquisition, popped out to shallow centre against Brandon Little with two outs and the bases loaded in the seventh. The Phillies trailed 3-2 when they put runners on second and third against Blue Jays starter José Soriano to open the fifth. Schwarber and Turner struck out against Soriano and Harper fanned against left-handed reliever Mason Fluharty while 43,641 fans erupted in boos. Lazaro Estrada (1-0) walked two in 1 1/3 scoreless innings for the 27-year-old’s first career win. The Blue Jays appeared to have an issue with Wheeler’s delivery that turned into an argument between plate umpire John Tumpane and Blue Jays hitting coach David Popkins. Popkins was ejected. Wheeler then mouthed a profanity toward the Blue Jays dugout. Up next The Blue Jays send RHP Max Scherzer (1-4, 7.92 ERA) to the mound against Phillies RHP Aaron Nola (3-9, 5.55) in Saturday’s second set of the three-game weekend series. Dan Gelston, The Associated Press
