HOUSTON — The Phillies wasted a gem by Ranger Suarez on Tuesday night, a nearly spotless start from Zack Wheeler on Wednesday night, and after being shut out just once over a two-month span from late April through late June, they’ve been blanked in back-to-back games by the Astros.

It’s the Phils’ longest scoreless streak as an offense since August 2022. Their only extra-base hit in 18 innings of the series was an Edmundo Sosa double in the opener. They lost 2-0 to Colton Gordon after falling 1-0 to Framber Valdez on Tuesday.

The hits were scattered and opportunities scarce through seven innings until the Phillies loaded the bases on lefty reliever Bryan King with one out in the bottom of the eighth for Alec Bohm and Nick Castellanos. Bohm struck out, Castellanos grounded out and that was basically game over with how lights-out closer Josh Hader has been this season. Hader went 1-2-3 for his 21st save.

“Yesterday was one of those days where you have a really good pitcher who was on,” Kyle Schwarber said. “You hate getting shut out but today felt a little bit different.

“I think early on off the starter, some hard contact, things didn’t fall right. At the end of the day, we had some guys on base, just didn’t execute. Those are things that we pride ourselves on.”

The Phillies (47-33) lost ground to the Mets, who they lead by a half-game in the NL East. The official midpoint of the season is Thursday.

The good news for the Phils is that their best hitter, Bryce Harper, might be back this weekend in Atlanta. Out since June 7 with right wrist inflammation, Harper went through a full pregame routine Wednesday for the second straight day and will swing again in the batting cage Thursday.

The Phillies have gone 10-7 without Harper, averaging 4.3 runs. They’ve averaged 4.8 runs in the games he’s played.

They hit the ball harder than the Astros did on Wednesday but that’s little solace after consecutive shutouts. Bryson Stott crushed a pitch 395 feet to deep right-center in the seventh inning and it was run down by Jake Meyers. The ball would have been a game-tying homer in 10 parks.

“I feel like we’ve been putting ourselves in situations to do good things and be able to score runs. We’ve showed glimpses of it,” Schwarber said. “There’s a lot of really good pitching in the big leagues and you’ve got to be able to lock in on those days. You have to find a way every single day. Our group is very resilient. We got shut out tonight but we were in a position to win the game.

“We had this happen early on, too, everyone was kinda making statements about the offense not scoring runs. We were putting ourselves in position, it’s just the execution part isn’t there right now. You hate that it’s part of the game because you want to win the game so much, especially when you get performances like that from (Suarez and Wheeler).”

The Astros scored once off Wheeler in six innings with a leadoff double by Jeremy Pena and RBI single from two-hole hitter Isaac Paredes. Wheeler uncharacteristically threw 47 pitches before rebounding with 11, 12 and 13 the next three.

Even the Paredes RBI single probably won’t be by the weekend. It was a relatively routine groundball to Trea Turner’s left that the shortstop seemed to simply take his eye off as it went just beneath his glove to score Pena. Whether it is ultimately left a hit or changed to an error matters only in relation to Wheeler’s Cy Young candidacy. He is 7-3 with a 2.55 ERA and 0.93 WHIP in 99 innings with 126 strikeouts.

Wheeler has walked three batters in each of his last two starts. He’s kept all six from scoring but it’s driven up his pitch count.

“The last two starts have kinda been frustrating because I like to go seven at least but it’s not my call so not much I can do about it,” he said. “Can pitch a little better early on pitch count-wise.

“Just one of those nights where you’re trying to figure out as you go. Not quite as bad as last time, a little better.”

Matt Strahm, who has a 5.09 ERA in his last 25 appearances, allowed a solo home run in the eighth to Victor Caratini, doubling the Astros’ lead for Hader. All five pitchers the Astros used — Gordon, Steven Okert, Bennett Sousa, King and Hader — were lefties.

The Phils turn to one of their own Thursday in Cristopher Sanchez, looking to salvage a game of the series and avoid a sweep before they head to Atlanta.

“They’re a good team, they’re right there with us,” Wheeler said. “They’ve just gotten the better of us the past two nights. I’m sure we’ll come ready tomorrow.”