PHILADELPHIA – Citizens Bank sat enveloped in a gray cloud of descending, windblown mist Wednesday night.

Great for poncho sales. Not so welcomed for the 37,219 fans, players and, in particular, pitchers.

But the Phillies have had a tendency to emerge from the gloom and bring brightness and clarity, even in the absence of sunshine and blue skies, this damp spring.

Despite several curious and costly mistakes – a dropped fly ball by center-field whiz Johan Rojas, Nick Castellanos’ ill-conceived decision to try and stretch a fourth-inning single into a double and J.T. Realmuto being thrown out at home after misreading his third-base coach’s orders – the Phillies thrived, survived and prevailed.

In the so-what-else-is-new department comes Ranger Suarez, whose emergence as the National League’s premier ace continued despite some of those bad early signs and the difficult climatic conditions.

"It was tough," Suarez said through an interpreter of those elements.

EAGLES SCHEDULE: See who Eagles play, when and where in 2024

Nonetheless, Suarez has become – and brace yourself for this – a 2024 version of a 1972 Steve Carlton.

Some of us were fortunate enough to have witnessed Carlton’s epic 27-10, 1.97 ERA performance on an NL-worst 59-win Phillies team that year. He whiffed 310 in 346 1/3 masterful innings.

Suarez left after the fifth inning with a 5-2 lead Wednesday, having allowed four hits and striking out three. Both runs he gave up were unearned.

"I thought he was good but it was tough to pitch out there," said Phillies manager Rob Thomson, who pulled Suarez after 83 pitches, his fewest since the first two starts this year, because of how many he'd thrown in some recent outings.

Suarez may not have appeared as polished as he’s been in the wet weather. But he still emerged with a 1.37 ERA and, after the Phillies wrapped up a 10-5 win, an 8-0 record. He can thank a 4-run fifth that erased a 2-1 Mets edge.

That’s where the comparison to his fellow southpaw Carlton, known appropriately as “Lefty,” comes in.

Taking into account his strong finish last season, Suarez has joined Carlton, who did so during his grand 1972, as the only Phillies left-handed starters in history to have 10 straight wins. Nine right-handed Phillies have done that, the last being Roy Oswalt in 2010-11.

GRAEBER BASHES FOR BLUE HENS: Rowan College JUCO transfer in a groove at Delaware

“First thing is, he had a full spring training so he’s healthy,” Thomson said of Suarez’s 2024 success. “I think the second thing is he’s not trying to be too fine. He can really command the baseball, but he can over command it, try to be too fine and then he gets out of the zone and he gets frustrated.

“So I think he’s just going out there and he’s relaxed and he’s just pitching and attacking hitters a little bit more.”

An earned-run average is more revealing than a pitcher’s wins. Suarez is the third Phillies pitcher since earned runs began being scored in 1912 and the first since 1919 to have an ERA below 1.40 through nine starts at the outset of a season.

“He’s attacking the zone with so many different pitches,” Kyle Schwarber said when asked what has most impressed him about Suarez.

“There are some times when guys get behind in the count and you know that they’re going to go to a certain pitch. Versus him, he’s got three different types of fastballs, a couple different off-speed pitches and a change-up. So you don’t really kind of know what’s gonna happen.”

That has enhanced Suarez’ confidence, Schwarber added, and allowed it to grow.

It is, of course, early and many things can change in a 162-game season for a Phillies team with baseball’s best record at 31-13.

But facts are facts. This two-game set is the 13^th straight series the Phillies, who’ll seek a sweep Thursday night., will have tied or won.

And Suarez, statistics show, has begun to craft a season that could live in Phillies lore.

"I just want to be healthy 100 percent by the end of the season," Suarez said. "It was not a great night for me, it was not a great game for me. But the important thing is that we got the win and I could pitch and maintain a close game."

Contact Kevin Tresolini at ktresolini@delawareonline.com and follow on Twitter @kevintresolini. Support local journalism by subscribing to delawareonline.com and our DE Game Day newsletter.

This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: Ranger Suarez continues earning Steve Carlton comparison for Phillies