Phillies offense spoil Aaron Nola gem, lose series to Brewers
PHOENIX, ARIZONA - AUGUST 10: Starter Aaron Nola #27 of the Philadelphia Phillies throws a warm up pitch between innings during the game against the Philadelphia Phillies at Chase Field on August 10, 2024 in Phoenix, Arizona. The Diamondbacks defeated the Phillies 11-1. (Photo by Chris Coduto/Getty Images)
The Brewers clinched the NL Central earlier Wednesday afternoon, thanks to a 5-3 Cubs loss to the Athletics at Wrigley Field.
It would have been very awkward to go into your clubhouse after a loss game and celebrate a clinch. That is what the Phillies were trying to make happen at American Family Field.
However, the Brewers celebrated in style. Jake Bauers smoked a first-pitch fastball from Carlos Estevez down the right-field line, scoring Jackson Chourio, to walk it off in the ninth 2-1. The confetti fell, the Brewers celebrated, and the Phillies walked off the field spoiling a masterpiece from their starter and a chance to clinch a postseason birth.
The Phillies’ magic number to clinch the playoffs remains one. They could have also clinched with a Braves and Mets loss. But both won. The magic number to clinch the NL East is still four. The soonest they can clinch that is Friday night against the Mets.
Aaron Nola had allowed 11 runs and four homers in nine innings over his previous two starts. He came into this game, the third playoff-clinching scenario he has started in the past three years, looking for a bounce-back. He got it. He only allowed three hits and one run and nine strikeouts over seven innings and 97 pitches. The run came on a Rhys Hoskins homer in the fifth.
The Brewers hit just two home runs in 54 innings against the Phillies this season. Both belonged to Hoskins.
It was another playoff-clinching scenario domination for Nola. In three starts with a postseason clinch on the line, he has thrown 20.1 innings, allowing nine hits, two earned runs, one walk, and struck out 26. When the lights are bright in late September, Nola comes through. And that is why he is important. Nola will have random implosions throughout the season, but he always shows up when needed.
However, the Phillies’ offense did not come through for him.
Alec Bohm put them on the board with a solo home run in the third, and that was pretty much it.
The Phillies only recorded two hits after that long ball by Bohm. They chased a lot, had bad at-bats, and struck out 16 times for the second straight night. They look like how they did in Games 6 and 7 of the 2023 NLCS. As we know, it will not fly in October.
Their best chance came in the sixth with Bryce Harper and Trea Turner on. The next hitter, Nick Castellanos, struck out on three pitches. A horrible at bat. The Phillies tried to pull off a double steal twice with Bohm up, but he fouled both pitches off. He eventually flew out to deep right-center and advanced the runners to second and third. Two out. Bryson Stott then grounded out to end the inning. The game felt lost there.
The Phils will look to clinch the postseason on FOX at Citi Field on Thursday night with Taijuan Walker on the mound against the Mets. It is his first start in three weeks.
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Benjamin Goldstein
Benjamin has been covering Philly Sports for Philly Sports Reports since 2017. He is a podcaster, writer, and founder of Philly Sports Reports. Benjamin is also an intern at the WBCB Sports Network on 1490AM. Through Philly Sports Reports, Benjamin has gotten the opportunity to meet Phillies owner John Middleton in his suite and be honored as the Philadelphia sports fan of the week for KYW News Radio. He hopes to be reporting on Philly sports as a full-time job in the future.
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