Phillies

Aaron Nola Dominates, Helps Stop Phillies’ Four-Game Losing Streak

By Bob Wankel

Published: Aug 23rd, 2018 · 4:18 PM EDT

---

Just in case you needed any further proof that Aaron Nola is one of Major League Baseball’s premier pitchers (you shouldn’t), then today ought to seal the deal.

Nola outlasted three-time Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer with a masterful performance to help snap the Phillies’ four-game losing streak:

The Phillies win.

Aaron Nola: 8 IP, 5 H, 0 R, 9 K, 70 of his 102 pitches were strikes

Here are all nine of his strikeouts. pic.twitter.com/rwLHlbEugr

— Bob Wankel (@Bob_Wankel) August 23, 2018

It was not without drama. After Nola failed to get a called third strike on a 3-2 pitch to Trea Turner that would have ended the eighth inning, Bryce Harper came to the plate as the go-ahead run. On his 102nd pitch of the game, Nola reached back and fired a 94.7 mph fastball by Harper to extinguish Washington’s threat:

Aaron Nola. My goodness. 🔥 pic.twitter.com/mzepYmLqKe

— Bob Wankel (@Bob_Wankel) August 23, 2018

On the day, Nationals hitters took 52 swings against Nola’s 102 pitches and whiffed 20 times. His curveball was particularly nasty as he generated 10 whiffs on 37 pitches.

Meanwhile, the offense was supplied by Odubel Herrera, who in the seventh inning launched his 20th homer of the season.

The resurrection of Odubel Herrera. pic.twitter.com/oIHsqJzsln

— Bob Wankel (@Bob_Wankel) August 23, 2018

It’s hard to argue that Jacob deGrom, with his league-best 1.71 ERA after throwing six strong innings against the Giants this afternoon, isn’t deserving of the NL’s Cy Young Award, but Gabe Kapler would go with Nola:

Here’s Gabe Kapler on Aaron Nola and the Cy Young Award: pic.twitter.com/I1PuiD6XTN

— Bob Wankel (@Bob_Wankel) August 23, 2018

Whatever the case, this was an elite level performance by the Phillies’ ace in a head-to-head showdown against arguably the game’s best pitcher when the Phillies absolutely needed it most. Nola is a star. If there was anyone out there that still didn’t know it, they should now.