Phillies pitcher Zack Wheeler takes sweep by D-backs ‘personal’

The Arizona Diamondbacks picked up their second sweep of a Pennsylvania-based ball club since the All-Star break on Thursday.

The difference with their latest set against the Philadelphia Phillies is that it came against a team with playoff aspirations.

“This is a team you don’t want to get swept by,” Phillies pitcher Zack Wheeler said after the game.

“It’s just true. We have to take it personal.”

Wheeler was the losing pitcher in the Thursday finale that the D-backs won by a 6-2 final.

The loss pushes the Phillies four games behind the Atlanta Braves, who lead the NL East.

Losing three in a row to the D-backs, who have the worst record in the National League, does not bode well for the the Phillies playoff aspirations.

They have a chance to avenge the defeats later in August when the D-backs end a 10-game road trip with a four-game series in Philadelphia.

The D-backs also swept the Pittsburgh Pirates in their second series back from the break in July. It was a three-game set that saw the D-backs outscore their opponents 21-12 at Chase Field.

Arizona will travel to Pittsburgh for three games right before the series with the Phillies.

Although it has been a tough season for the D-backs, they have been hot lately, winning six of their last seven games.

They are now two full games ahead of the Baltimore Orioles, who have the worst record in baseball.

The Pirates are 1.5 games ahead of the D-backs as the two worst teams in the National League.

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