Stop me if you've heard this story before.
Aaron Nola was cruising. Through four innings, he had not allowed a hit. He had walked two and struck out six. He had retired ten consecutive batters.
Then Nola served up two singles and a three-run home run to start the fifth.
WE DO A LITTLE TROLLING!
A 3-RUN SHOT FOR FRANCISCO ALVAREZ! pic.twitter.com/PFAEEUabwi
Then Nola served up two more singles and another three-run home run later in the fifth.
THE GANG SCORES SIX IN THE INNING!
A 3-RUN HOMER FOR BRANDON NIMMO! pic.twitter.com/AzUuijYdMZ
Aaron Nola did not get through the fifth.
Nola is an anomaly. Cruising for a few innings, then THIS.
At least the Dodgers are down 5-0.
Can’t remember a player like Nola.
Love that he was here through the lean years. Seems like a great guy. His durability/the amount of innings he eats is so underrated. Was great in last year’s playoffs.
And yet, I do not get how innings like that ever happen to someone so good.
An Aaron Nola classic
Watching Another Aaron Nola implosion inning pic.twitter.com/85QrNNviwW
There's not much more to say about Nola. He might throw seven shutout innings in game two (or should it be game three??) of the NLDS, or he might get shelled. The Phillies will just have to take their chances. The team is still 19-11 in Nola's starts this season, even after Friday's nightmare.
The Phils' loss wasn't entirely on A-a-ron. Can't win if you don't score. And Mets starter Jose Quintana shut the Phillies out through seven innings, holding them to just three hits.
Quintana has been pitching well lately.
An absolutely magnificent outing tonight for Jose Quintana
Including tonight, Quintana’s last 4 starts:
25 IP, 18 H, 2 R (1 ER), 7 BB, 16 K
That is good for a 0.36 ERApic.twitter.com/zpmcHH05kJ
After Nola's departure, meanwhile, the Mets kept on hitting. Here's yet another three-run bomb.
Make that THREE three-run homers tonight 😤 pic.twitter.com/hAdt6kHhOg
The Phillies finally got on the board in the ninth, courtesy of a Brandon Marsh garbage-time dinger. It's not a much of a highlight, but it's all we have:
BRANDON MARSH 3 RUN HOMER OFF A LEFTY BECAUSE YES HE CAN pic.twitter.com/AN5c3GNlL2
As Justin mentions, nice to see Marsh go deep against a lefty.
With the loss, the Phils' division lead drops to seven games with fifteen left to play.
Anyway, here's this:
The Phillie Phanatic pied an "umpire" between innings 😭 pic.twitter.com/c7EUTaIxnE