September Nola Silences Braves as Philadelphia Phillies Take Cathartic Win

The Philadelphia Phillies started a win streak Friday night, taking their third game in a row with a 9-1 victory over the Atlanta Braves.

Author:
Ben Silver
Sep 24, 2022 10:41 AM EDT

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Philadelphia Phillies

Aaron Nola has begun to right the wrongs of September's passed. This September his ERA is 2.08 across 21.2 innings pitched in four starts.

The most impressive of which came against a vaunted Atlanta Braves lineup on Friday night. Though they missed superstar Ronald Acuna Jr. from the lineup for the second night in a row, their offense is still one of, if not the most potent in the National League.

Across 6.0 inning Nola held the Braves scoreless, striking out eight and walking three. Oddly enough, that combination actually hurt his MLB-leading K/BB. At 7.52 K/BB, Nola now leads Kevin Gausman by just 33 points. Nola's figure also leads all Philadelphia Phillies in the history of the franchise.

Cliff Lee places second, but Nola doesn't lead by much after Friday night. Lee's second-best rate is 7.39 K/BB. The final 12 games of the season will decide whether or not Nola's holds that place in the history books.

While the Phillies' ace mowed down Braves' hitter, the Philadelphia offense pounded Atlanta starter Jake Odorizzi.

The Phillies took the lead in the second inning when they loaded the bases with no out before a sac fly from Bryson Stott, single from Matt Vierling and double from Rhys Hoskins made it 4-0.

That was the Phillies first multi-run lead since Sept. 14 against the Marlins. It was been seven games in a row since they had led by two or more, but the Phillies didn't stop there.

Coming back for seconds in the fourth inning, the Phillies put another four-spot on the board. This time it began when Rhys Hoskins mashed his third hit of the night, a towering home run through the driving wind in left field that scored Kyle Schwarber to all but seal the win.

Following him, Alec Bohm tripled off Michael Harris II's glove in center field to score J.T. Realmuto from first before Brandon Marsh drove Bohm home with a single.

The Phillies final insurance run came in the fifth inning when the much maligned Bryce Harper stepped to the plate with the bases loaded and one out. Braves reliever A.J. Minter had walked the bases loaded, but that did stop Harper from running into an 0-2 count for what felt like the umpteenth at-bat in a row.

At the very least, his lazy fly ball to center field scored Stott from third to prove he could still put bat on ball. Harper would end the game 0-for his last 13, the biggest area of concern on the Phillies after a three-game win streak.

Nick Nelson and Connor Brogdon closed out the final three innings without major incident besides Nelson's one earned run. Brogdon though, looked as sharp as he has in weeks, setting the Braves down 1-2-3 with two strikeouts to end the ballgame.

The Phillies look to win this series and knot up the season series at 4:05 p.m. EST on Friday with Bailey Falter on the mount opposed by Kyle Wright.