Kyle Schwarber homered twice, Zack Wheeler won his third straight start and the Philadelphia Phillies beat the Washington Nationals 10-1 Thursday to open a five-game series.
Philadelphia, which scored seven runs in the third inning, has won 12 of its last 14 meetings and improved to 11-2 under interim manager Rob Thompson.
Washington, sitting last in the NL, has lost five in a row and eight of the last 10. It has lost nine to the Phillies since last season, its longest streak against any Eastern Division opponent since 2009, when recorded nine straight stumbles.
Wheeler (6-3) gave up one run on four hits in seven innings, striking out three. The right-hander improved to 3-0 with a 1.42 ERA in three starts this month.
The Phillies clinched the game with a seven-run, two-out drive in the third inning. Venezuelan second baseman César Hernández did not adequately control a powerful grounder by Dominican Yairo Muñoz.
Schwarber then found a fastball from Patrick Corbin (3-9) and sent the ball into the center-field stands.
For the Phillies, the Venezuelan Odúbel Herrera 1-0. The Dominican Muñoz 4-1 with a home run, two runs scored and an RBI.
For the Nationals, the Venezuelans Hernández 3-1, Keibert Ruiz 4-0, Ehire Adrianza 2-0. The Dominicans Juan Soto 4-0, Nelson Cruz 3-1, Víctor Robles 1-1, Maikel Franco 3-0.