Los Angeles Angels vs Philadelphia Phillies

The Angels struck first in the bottom of the 1st. Wade Meckler led off with a single, advanced to third on a Mike Trout double, and scored when Moisés Ballesteros grounded into a double play — a run that came without a clean hit in the inning.

Philadelphia answered in the 3rd. J.T. Realmuto crushed a solo home run to left-centre off Yusei Kikuchi, his 10th of the season, tying the game 1-1.

The score stayed knotted until the 7th. Edmundo Sosa stepped in with one out and drove a Kikuchi pitch over the left-field wall for a go-ahead solo homer, his 7th of the year, putting the Phillies ahead 2-1.

Philadelphia broke it open in the 8th, scoring twice off reliever Sammy Peralta and José Fermin. Kyle Schwarber walked, Trea Turner singled, and after a Bryce Harper flyout, Luis Arraez — pinch-hitting for Sosa — delivered a sacrifice fly. Brandon Marsh followed with an RBI single to make it 4-1.

Bryce Harper added an RBI double in the 9th off Mitch Farris, scoring Realmuto who had singled earlier.

The Angels managed a consolation run in the bottom of the 9th when Meckler doubled and scored on a Trout groundout, but Orion Kerkering closed it out for his second save.

The game turned on Sosa's solo homer in the 7th. Kikuchi had been outstanding through six innings — just one run on a solo homer — but the 98 mph fastball that Sosa deposited over the wall changed the complexion. Up to that point, Kikuchi had held the Phillies' dangerous lineup to six hits with six strikeouts and one walk. The homer made him the hard-luck loser in what was his best start of the season.

Zack Wheeler (W, 11-5) — Player of the Match: Wheeler delivered a quality start, holding the Angels to one run on four hits over six innings. He struck out six, walked three, and lowered his ERA to 3.31. Wheeler has now won three straight decisions.

J.T. Realmuto (PHI): 2-for-3, solo HR (10), 2 R, BB. The veteran catcher led off the Phillies' scoring with his 10th homer and later singled and scored on Harper's double in the 9th.

Yusei Kikuchi (L, 0-5): The Angels left-hander turned in arguably his best start of the season — 7.0 IP, 6 H, 2 ER, 1 BB, 6 K, 92 pitches — but took the loss because of two solo home runs. His ERA dropped to 5.65.

Wade Meckler (LAA): 2-for-4, 2 R, BB. The Angels leadoff man reached base three times and scored both of his team's runs.

The Phillies out-hit the Angels 10-8, but the game was far closer than the final margin suggests. Kikuchi matched Wheeler for six innings, and the game was tied 1-1 entering the 7th. The decisive factor was the long ball: Philadelphia's two solo home runs (Realmuto, Sosa) accounted for the margin until the Phillies tacked on three more late runs against the Angels' bullpen. Philadelphia went 4-for-9 with runners in scoring position, while the Angels managed just 1-for-8 with RISP and left 11 men on base — a recurring issue for a team that ranks near the bottom of MLB in situational hitting.

The Phillies (76-60) completed a 3-0 road sweep of the Angels, their second straight series win after taking two of three from Seattle. Philadelphia sits second in the NL East and remains firmly in the Wild Card picture. The Angels (52-85) have lost nine straight — their longest skid of the season — and are assured of a losing record for the fourth consecutive year. Their 85 losses are the most in the American League.

Next fixtures: The Phillies head to St. Louis for a three-game series against the Cardinals starting 1 September. The Angels travel to Seattle to face the Mariners on 1 September.

A game decided by two solo home runs off an otherwise excellent Kikuchi. Wheeler gave the Phillies exactly what they needed — six innings of one-run ball — and the bullpen held firm. For the Angels, the losing streak hits nine, and there are few immediate answers on the horizon.

• PHI: J.T. Realmuto (10), Top 3, solo off Kikuchi
• PHI: Edmundo Sosa (7), Top 7, solo off Kikuchi