Since being called up from AAA Lehigh Valley to make his Major League debut back on July 21st of this season, Aaron Nola has made 10 starts for the Phillies. Only two of those qualify as “stinkers”, including the worst start of his burgeoning career last Wednesday in New York against the Mets.
In that September 2nd start, Nola allowed 6 earned runs on 9 hits, including a pair of home runs, in just 4 innings of work. He was still throwing strikes, 46 of his 65 pitches were in the zone. But far too many of those pitches caught the barrels of the Mets’ hitters bats.
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So when Nola walked out to the mound last night at Citizens Bank Park, there were some serious questions about him for the first time this year. How would he bounce back mentally from that beating? Was he simply getting worn down after throwing 163 total innings between the minors and big leagues?
Nola threw 55.1 innings last year over his first dozen professional starts after signing as the Phillies top pick in the June 2014 Draft. That was after tossing 116.1 innings during the spring at college with LSU. So it’s really not as if this is his first foray into the 150+ innings mark.
Last night, Nola (6-2) demonstrated that not only does he have the mental fortitude to bounce back from a poor outing, but also that he does not appear to be tiring at all. He shut out the Braves over 7 strong innings, scattering 6 hits and a walk while striking out 7 batters.
He typically was around the strike zone, with 60 of his 85 pitches going for strikes. But this time his fastball was more lively with movement, and he worked with a much more comfortable pace.
Sep 8, 2015; Philadelphia, PA, USA;
Philadelphia Phillies starting pitcher Nola (27) in the dugout after being relieved after the seventh inning against the Atlanta Braves at Citizens Bank Park. The Phillies won 5-0.
(Photo Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports)
Also with the win, Nola put an end to the team’s 5-game losing streak ,which had begun with his loss in New York. So he stepped up and showed that he can also be the stopper that every team needs in order to be successful.
Nola was matched for much of the game by Braves’ 25-year old starter Ryan Weber, who was making his Major League debut. Weber (0-1) didn’t allow a hit over the first three innings. The righty would allow the Phils just a pair of runs on 4 hits and a walk across 6 strong innings.
The Phillies finally began to solve Weber in the home half of the 4th inning. Cesar Hernandez started things off with a ground rule double down the right field line on which there was a fan interference call. A single to left by Odubel Herrera put runners on the corners, and gave the Fightins their first legitimate threat of the night.
Weber escaped potential serious trouble, however, coaxing Aaron Altherr to ground into a classic 6-4-3 doubleplay. Hernandez scored on the play, putting the Phillies up 1-0, but Weber and the Braves were happy to trade the run for the two outs this early in the game. Little did they realize, it would be all the Phils would need in the end.
It would not be all the Phils would get. The very next inning, Andres Blanco led off with a triple to center, and scored when Brian Bogusevic followed with an RBI single.
Both teams turned the tight 2-0 affair over to their bullpens in the late innings, and Phillies interim manager Pete Mackanin in particular really went to work in adjusting his defense during the top of the 8th as the Braves put a final threat together.
Mackanin began the inning by leaving Darnell Sweeney, who had pinch-hit for Nola in the bottom of the 7th, in to play left field in place of Bogusevic. He moved Blanco over to 3rd in place of starter Cody Asche, and brought in regular starter Freddy Galvis, who to that point had been given a night off, to play shortstop. All this trying to seal the victory for young Nola.
On the mound to replace Nola was Luis Garcia. The 28-year old Dominican righthander has had an inconsistent season overall out of the club’s pen. In his previous 11 games, Garcia had proven particularly ineffective, having allowed 15 hits and 8 walks over 10 total innings pitched.
Garcia got himself into trouble right away, putting the tying runs on base by allowing a leadoff single to Nick Markakis, and then walking Hector Olivera. But after a visit to the mound from pitching coach Bob McClure, Garcia appeared to settle down. He struck out the dangerous Freddie Freeman swinging, and got veteran A.J. Pierzynski to ground out.
Sep 8, 2015; Philadelphia, PA, USA;
Philadelphia Phillies center fielder Herrera (37) reacts after hitting a three RBI home run during the eighth inning against the Atlanta Braves at Citizens Bank Park. The Phillies won 5-0.
(Photo Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports)
At that point, Mackanin must have been feeling that he was seriously dodging a bullet. With runners at 2nd and 3rd and two outs, he decided to turn to closer Ken Giles in the 8th inning. Giles retired Jace Peterson on a soft liner to Galvis at short, and the threat was over.
The Phillies bats decided to ensure that there would be no 9th inning drama by putting up a crooked number in the bottom of the 8th to give the team some breathing room.
With one out in the bottom of the 8th, Jeff Francoeur and Hernandez each singled. That brought Herrera to the plate. The 23-year old rookie Rule 5 draft pick has been the Phillies most exciting offensive player this season. He added yet another moment to his personal 2015 scrap-book, crushing his 8th home run of the season to right field for a 5-0 lead.
Giles then returned to the hill for what is becoming a typical 1-2-3 shutdown in the 9th, ending the game by striking out Braves’ pinch-hitter Pedro Ciriaco swinging. With the victory, the Phillies lead on Atlanta for the top pick in the 2016 MLB Amateur Draft returns to just a single game as the team’s get set for the rubber match of this series on Wednesday night.