Out Dueled: Houston Astros Drop Series Opener to Philadelphia Phillies, 3-0
In this story:
Oh so close; Aaron Nola was seven outs away from perfection Monday. Yet, the Philadelphia Phillies blanked the Houston Astros on the road en route to a postseason berth.
Nola retired 20 straight batters until issuing back-to-back singles to Yordan Álvarez and David Hensley in the seventh frame. The Phillies righty lifted his club to extended play in October though, throwing 63 of his 88 pitches for strikes and striking out nine batters on the night.
The Astros didn't reach the base paths before, nor after their seventh-inning threat. They combined for 12 strikeouts at the plate, failing to walk even once against a Phillies pitching staff fighting for postseason play.
Opposite of Nola, Lance McCullers Jr. proved he is in postseason form. The righty worked six innings with five punch outs and one walk, finishing his night six pitches short of 100. McCullers surrendered six hits and one run — a solo homer to Kyle Schwarber on the first pitch of the contest.
The Phillies found all three of their runs via the long ball. José Urquidy made his first appearance out of the bullpen this season Monday, yielding a pair of solo home runs and two walks to one strikeout in two innings of work.
Bryson Stott and Schwarber opened the eighth inning with back-to-back shots, building a three-run lead on Houston. With its shutout Monday, Philadelphia secured a postseason berth for the first in 11 years, interestingly enough at the same place the club clinched in 2011.
The Astros return to action at 7:10 p.m. Tuesday at Minute Maid Park. Justin Verlander is scheduled to face Ranger Suárez.
More From SI's Inside The Astros:
- Could Mike Trout Request a Trade to the Houston Astros?
- Report: Former Astros Pitcher Fiers' Contract Terminated By CPBL Club
- Can the Houston Astros Handle the Loss of Yordan Álvarez?
- Is There Any Hope for an Aging Yuli Gurriel?
- Grading the Houston Astros MLB Trade Deadline Transactions
- Jeremy Peña isn't Competing for Rookie of the Year, And That's a Good Thing
- Houston Astros Poised to Make Another World Series Run
- Mancini Mania: Behind the Houston Astros' Latest Streak of History
- Trey Mancini Gives Houston Astros a Much Deeper Lineup
- Yordan Álvarez Stopped Striking Out and Became the Best Hitter in Baseball
Make sure to follow Inside the Astros on Twitter @InsideAstrosSI!
