PHILADELPHIA — Manager Rob Thomson said ahead of Saturday’s game against the White Sox that when the Phillies’ starting rotation is having the success they are at the moment, they want to “outdo each other.”

Spencer Turnbull had taken a no-hitter into the seventh inning on Friday. So, naturally, Zach Wheeler outdid that by taking a no-hit bid into the eighth inning the next evening, in what was ultimately an 9-5 win over the White Sox. Wheeler had retired 22 Chicago batters without allowing a hit before Korey Lee sent a single down the first base line, past a diving Bryce Harper.

Wheeler finished his night after 7 1/3 innings with eight strikeouts, two walks and one hit by pitch. He had a bit of help from his fielders to keep his bid alive, namely Johan Rojas tracking down a well-hit line drive to center field in the seventh.

The Phillies, who four days ago ranked last in the National League in runs scored, racked up 12 hits to give Wheeler plenty of run support. Trea Turner, who has hit safely in every game of the current homestand, continued his hot streak with a single and a two-run double in the seventh. Rojas went 3 for 4 and scored two runs.

Entering Saturday, Wheeler had been the only Phillies starter yet to record a win this season, but he ended his drought in style. Nicky Lopez worked Wheeler for a nine-pitch at-bat and drew a walk to start the game, but from there, Wheeler retired 13 straight Chicago batters.

The White Sox made things interesting in the ninth inning, stringing together two walks and five hits — including back-to-back doubles — off Ricardo Pinto to plate five runs in the ninth. Pinto then hit Andrew Vaughn with a pitch to put two on, and Jose Alvarado came in to shut the door.

Castellanos breaks out

Wheeler was not the only Phillies player to end a drought on Saturday. After 78 straight plate appearances without an extra-base hit, Nick Castellanos threw the monkey off his back with triple to right field in the second inning.

Just a few feet away from being a home run, the ball bounced off the outfield wall and eluded Chicago right fielder Gavin Sheets long enough for Castellanos to stretch it to three bases. He was driven home by Rojas to cap off a three-run inning for the Phillies.

While Castellanos’ walk-off single less than a week ago against the Pirates had been a bright spot throughout his early season-struggles, that first extra-base hit of the season had continued to escape him. Saturday ended a streak that had been the longest of his career. Previously, he’d gone 63 plate appearances without an extra-base hit in 2015 with Detroit.

But Thomson maintained confidence in Castellanos, and he never left the starting lineup. Some solid contact on Friday in the season-opener against the White Sox signaled that Saturday’s outburst was just around the corner.

Castellanos followed it up with a single to right field in the fourth inning, and a two-run single up the middle in the fifth.

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