MILWAUKEE – Phillies pitcher Aaron Nola got dogged for five runs in the first inning as the Brewers beat the Phillies, 6-3.
Just ten batters in, Nola had allowed a walk, hit a batter, gave up two singles, a triple, a home run and those five runs as the Phillies fell to 80-59 on the season but kept their lead in the National League East at five games as the New York Mets also lost.
In his previous outing last Thursday, Nola allowed three hits, two walks and three runs in his first inning. Not really what anyone wanted to see from Nola, especially after Zack Wheeler was lost for the season.
“My command was off to start out,” said Nola, who fell to 3-8. “They did a good job of putting the bat on it and putting it where we weren’t. I just kind of felt off, especially in the first. Felt like I settled in a little bit.
You saw it out there in the first. I wasn’t that crisp. I just got to make pitches. I think the first inning is kind of biting me in the butt the past couple of times. I feel like it’s been all year, even before I was hurt. Usually through the game it’s that one inning that’s kind of given me trouble.”
Milwaukee star outfielder Christian Yelich was a late scratch to the lineup with a lower back strain. It didn’t seem to matter much to his teammates, especially in the big first inning.
Brice Turang started it off with a walk before Jackson Chourio, who filled in for Yelich, was hit by a pitch. A William Contreras single loaded the base before Sal Frelick singled to center in front of Harrison Bader, scoring Turang. The Phillies centerfielder’s throw to third skipped past Alec Bohm and allowed Chourio to also score. Isaac Collins then smashed his second home run of the series to right field for a 5-0 lead.
In his last start, Nola was aided by his teammates who scored 19 runs and belted 20 hits, including seven home runs, four by Kyle Schwarber.
He didn’t get that support on Monday.
After Milwaukee (86-54) got their sixth run on an RBI double by Turang in the fourth, the Phillies countered with a run in the fifth. Nick Castellanos and Edmundo Sosa singled to start the inning and Castellanos scored on a single by Trea Turner. But Schwarber struck out and Bryce Harper hit into a fielder’s choice to end any threat of a bigger comeback.
“We have to figure that one out where he comes out and he’s got his command,” said Thomson of Nola. “In the first inning he was getting behind in the count and almost like he’s trying to make that perfect pitch and getting further behind in the count. We’ll figure that one out. But after that he settled in and gave us five innings and he was better. Not quite Nola-like but he was better.
Does Thomson have the confidence that Nola will become Nola-like before the playoffs?
“Full confidence, really,” he said. “I think in ’22 or ’23, one of the years we were coming into the playoffs he wasn’t throwing all that well. As soon as the playoffs started he got it going. I always have confidence in him because he’s always prepared and he competes. The bright lights don’t affect him.”
Weston Wilson hit a 444-foot bomb to left in the seventh, his fourth of the season, with Castellanos on first to cut the lead to 6-3. But that was all the bark the Phillies had left in them as they’ll try to win this three-game series Thursday afternoon.
“I think it shows we’re resilient,” said Wilson, who collided with Harrison Bader in left center as the two were chasing a double in the gap. “I think even though we get down early it’s not over for us. We’re going to play baseball and just try to grind our way back.”
Having used six relievers in Monday’s wild win, manager Rob Thomson had to have Nola eat up some innings, and he did after the woeful first. Nola went five innings and allowed six hits, six earned runs, walked two and struck out six. Going into the game, Nola had a 7-2 record with a 2.64 ERA in 14 starts against the Brewers since 2016.
Milwaukee starter Jose Quintana improved to 11-5 as he was pulled after Wilson’s home run. In his six and one/third innings, he gave up seven hits, three earned runs and struck out six.
The Phillies had nine hits on the night but left eight on base. Turner, J.T. Realmuto and Castellanos each had two hits.
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