Nick Castellanos makes the decisive contribution to the Phillies’ victory
\n”, “providerName”: “Twitter”, “providerUrl”: “https://twitter.com”, “type”: “oembed”, “width”: 550, “contentType”: “rich”},{ “__typename”: “Markdown”, “content”: This time Castellanos listened to the right guy.\n\n”Well, he usually just shows up when I hit, you know?” Castellanos said over the voice in his Head. “For example, ‘Don’t take that 2-0 pitch.’ Then he decided to come up for that ball right there in the ninth.” 11.964Z”,”preferredPlaybackScenarioURL({\”preferredPlaybacks\”:\”mp4AvcPlayback\”})”:”https://mlb-cuts-diamond.mlb .com/FORGE/2023/2023-09/20/e9f227c2- 41f66ebd-757913b7-csvm-diamondx64-asset_1280x720_59_4000K.mp4″,”type:video ‘ made it 4-0 -to-right-center-field in the 4th inning -brandon-ma”,”tags”:[{“__typename”:”InternalTag”,”slug”:”season-2023″,”title”:”Season 2023″,”type”:”season”},{“__typename”:”GameTag”},{“__typename”:”PersonTag”,”slug”:”playerid-592206″,”title”:”Nick Castellanos”,”person”:{“__ref”:”Person:592206″},”type”:”player”},{“__typename”:”TeamTag”,”slug”:”teamid-143″,”title”:”Philadelphia Phillies”,”team”:{“__ref”:”Team:143″},”type”:”team”},{“__typename”:”TaxonomyTag”,”slug”:”hitting”,”title”:”hitting”,”type”:”taxonomy”},{“__typename”:”TaxonomyTag”,”slug”:”highlight”,”title”:”highlight”,”type”:”taxonomy”},{“__typename”:”TaxonomyTag”,”slug”:”in-game-highlight”,”title”:”in-game highlight”,”type”:”taxonomy”},{“__typename”:”TaxonomyTag”,”slug”:”game-action-tracking”,”title”:”game action tracking”,”type”:”taxonomy”},{“__typename”:”TaxonomyTag”,”slug”:”home-run”,”title”:”home run”,”type”:”taxonomy”},{“__typename”:”TaxonomyTag”,”slug”:”2-yahoo-mlb-ads-feed”,”title”:”2-Yahoo MLB Ads Feed”,”type”:”taxonomy”},{“__typename”:”TaxonomyTag”,”slug”:”yahoo-in-game”,”title”:”Yahoo In-Game”,”type”:”taxonomy”},{“__typename”:”TaxonomyTag”,”slug”:”send-to-news-mlb-feed”,”title”:”Send To News MLB feed”,”type”:”taxonomy”},{“__typename”:”TaxonomyTag”,”slug”:”greatest-plays”,”title”:”Greatest Plays”,”type”:”taxonomy”},{“__typename”:”TaxonomyTag”,”slug”:”omg”,”title”:”omg”,”type”:”taxonomy”},{“__typename”:”TaxonomyTag”,”slug”:”international-feed”,”title”:”International Partner feed”,”type”:”taxonomy”},{“__typename”:”TaxonomyTag”,”slug”:”fan-duel”,”title”:”Fan Duel”,”type”:”taxonomy”},{“__typename”:”TaxonomyTag”,”slug”:”eclat-feed”,”title”:”Eclat feed”,”type”:”taxonomy”},{“__typename”:”TaxonomyTag”,”slug”:”apple-news”,”title”:”Apple News”,”type”:”taxonomy”},{“__typename”:”TaxonomyTag”,”slug”:”samsung-vod”,”title”:”Samsung VOD”,”type”:”taxonomy”}],”thumbnail”:{“__typename”: “Thumbnail”, “templateUrl”: “https://img.mlbstatic.com/mlb-images/image/upload/{formatInstructions}/mlb/xmvtfzf3k7hb88hbe9x9″},”title” : “Castellanos’ two-run homer (27)”, “relativeSiteUrl”: “/video/nick-castellanos-homers-27-on-a-fly-ball-to-right-center-field-brandon-ma” } ,{“__typename”: “Markdown”, “content”: “The Phillies had runners on second and third with two outs in the 10th when AJ Minter intentionally walked Alec Bohm to face Stott .\n\nStott hit a double to left to score two runs.\n\n”A swing dictates every game, that’s how it feels,” Stott said. “We want it to be our swing.”” ,”type”:”text”},{“__typename “Video”, “contentDate”: “2023-09-20T19:13:00.239Z”, “preferredPlaybackScenarioURL({\”preferredPlaybacks\”:\”mp4AvcPlayback\”} )”: “https://mlb-cuts -diamond.mlb.com/FORGE/2023/2023-09/20/37260258-6f0eaf7f-858f64c5-csvm-diamondx64-asset_1280x720_59_4000K.mp4”, “type”: “video” , “description”: “Bryson Stott rips a double down the left field line that scores Johan Rojas and Bryce Harper and gives the Phillies a 6-4 lead in the 10th inning. “aj-minter-in-play-run-s-to-bryson-stott”, “tags”:[{“__typename”:”InternalTag”,”slug”:”season-2023″,”title”:”Season 2023″,”type”:”season”},{“__typename”:”GameTag”},{“__typename”:”PersonTag”,”slug”:”playerid-681082″,”title”:”Bryson Stott”,”person”:{“__ref”:”Person:681082″},”type”:”player”},{“__typename”:”TeamTag”,”slug”:”teamid-143″,”title”:”Philadelphia Phillies”,”team”:{“__ref”:”Team:143″},”type”:”team”},{“__typename”:”TaxonomyTag”,”slug”:”hitting”,”title”:”hitting”,”type”:”taxonomy”},{“__typename”:”TaxonomyTag”,”slug”:”highlight”,”title”:”highlight”,”type”:”taxonomy”},{“__typename”:”TaxonomyTag”,”slug”:”in-game-highlight”,”title”:”in-game highlight”,”type”:”taxonomy”},{“__typename”:”TaxonomyTag”,”slug”:”game-action-tracking”,”title”:”game action tracking”,”type”:”taxonomy”},{“__typename”:”TaxonomyTag”,”slug”:”path-to-the-postseason”,”title”:”Pennant Chase”,”type”:”taxonomy”},{“__typename”:”TaxonomyTag”,”slug”:”international-feed”,”title”:”International Partner feed”,”type”:”taxonomy”},{“__typename”:”TaxonomyTag”,”slug”:”fan-duel”,”title”:”Fan Duel”,”type”:”taxonomy”},{“__typename”:”TaxonomyTag”,”slug”:”eclat-feed”,”title”:”Eclat feed”,”type”:”taxonomy”},{“__typename”:”TaxonomyTag”,”slug”:”apple-news”,”title”:”Apple News”,”type”:”taxonomy”},{“__typename”:”TaxonomyTag”,”slug”:”samsung-vod”,”title”:”Samsung VOD”,”type”:”taxonomy”},{“__typename”:”TaxonomyTag”,”slug”:”imagen-feed”,”title”:”Imagen feed”,”type”:”taxonomy”}],”thumbnail”:{“__typename”: “Thumbnail”, “templateUrl”: https://img.mlbstatic.com/mlb-images/image/upload/{formatInstructions}/mlb/okwrp2abgzfcimxebyjk”},”title” : “Bryson Stott’s Go-Ahead-Double”,”relativeSiteUrl”:”/video/aj-minter-in-play-run-s-to-bryson-stott”},{“__typename”:”Markdown”,”content” : “The Phillies won the final series of the year against Atlanta unless they meet again in the NLDS. It would happen if the Phillies clinched one of the top two NL Wild Card spots and then a best-of- Three NL Wild Card wins.” Series.\n\nThose odds improve if the Phillies see the version of Aaron Nola they got on Wednesday.\n\nNola had his best outing in more than three weeks. He gave two runs in six innings, allowing six hits and striking out eight.”,”type”:”text”},{“__typename”:”Video”,”contentDate”:”2023-09-20T18:57:04.058 Z”,”preferredPlaybackScenarioURL({\”preferredPlaybacks\”: “mp4AvcPlayback”}): type”:”video”,”description”:”Aaron Nola struck out eight batters in six innings in his Atlanta start,””displayAsVideoGif” :false,”duration”:”00:00:51″,”slug”: “aaron-nola-strikes-out-eight-x4470”, “tags”:[{“__typename”:”GameTag”},{“__typename”:”TeamTag”,”slug”:”teamid-143″,”title”:”Philadelphia Phillies”,”team”:{“__ref”:”Team:143″},”type”:”team”},{“__typename”:”PersonTag”,”slug”:”playerid-605400″,”title”:”Aaron Nola”,”person”:{“__ref”:”Person:605400″},”type”:”player”},{“__typename”:”TaxonomyTag”,”slug”:”in-game-highlight”,”title”:”in-game highlight”,”type”:”taxonomy”},{“__typename”:”TaxonomyTag”,”slug”:”game-action-tracking”,”title”:”game action tracking”,”type”:”taxonomy”},{“__typename”:”TaxonomyTag”,”slug”:”highlight”,”title”:”highlight”,”type”:”taxonomy”},{“__typename”:”TaxonomyTag”,”slug”:”pitching”,”title”:”pitching”,”type”:”taxonomy”},{“__typename”:”TaxonomyTag”,”slug”:”highlight-reel-pitching”,”title”:”highlight reel pitching”,”type”:”taxonomy”},{“__typename”:”TaxonomyTag”,”slug”:”highlight-reel-starting-pitching”,”title”:”highlight reel starting pitching”,”type”:”taxonomy”},{“__typename”:”TaxonomyTag”,”slug”:”path-to-the-postseason”,”title”:”Pennant Chase”,”type”:”taxonomy”},{“__typename”:”TaxonomyTag”,”slug”:”fan-duel”,”title”:”Fan Duel”,”type”:”taxonomy”},{“__typename”:”TaxonomyTag”,”slug”:”international-feed”,”title”:”International Partner feed”,”type”:”taxonomy”},{“__typename”:”TaxonomyTag”,”slug”:”eclat-feed”,”title”:”Eclat feed”,”type”:”taxonomy”}],”thumbnail”:{“__typename”: “Thumbnail”, “templateUrl”: https://img.mlbstatic.com/mlb-images/image/upload/{formatInstructions}/mlb/uv5w44hjavlxncvgzj3b”},”title” : “Aaron Nola strikes out eight”,relativeSiteUrl”:”/video/aaron-nola-strikes-out-eight-x4470″},{“__typename”: “Markdown”, “content”: “His recipe for success on Wednesday.” was simple : Hit the attack zone and limit the damage.\n\n”He’s got the chaos under control,” Thomson said. “2023-09-20T16:20:00Z”, “preferredPlaybackScenarioURL({\”preferredPlaybacks\” :\”mp4AvcPlayback\”})”: “https://darkroom-clips.mlb.com/b4bcfb88-f10c-4a4b- 9013-01892f88d63b.mp4, “type”: “video”, “description”: “The data behind Aaron Nola’s outing”, “displayAsVideoGif”:true, “duration”: “00:00:23”, “slug”: “aaron-nola-s-outing-against-the-braves-x8436”, “tags”:[{“__typename”:”TaxonomyTag”,”slug”:”data-visualization”,”title”:”data visualization”,”type”:”taxonomy”},{“__typename”:”PersonTag”,”slug”:”playerid-605400″,”title”:”Aaron Nola”,”person”:{“__ref”:”Person:605400″},”type”:”player”},{“__typename”:”GameTag”},{“__typename”:”TeamTag”,”slug”:”teamid-143″,”title”:”Philadelphia Phillies”,”team”:{“__ref”:”Team:143″},”type”:”team”}],”thumbnail”:{“__typename”: “Thumbnail”, “templateUrl”: https://img.mlbstatic.com/mlb-images/image/upload/{formatInstructions}/mlb/ztfmkiofpg7fkagb9fvn”},”title” : “Aaron Nola’s outing against the Braves”,”relativeSiteUrl”/video/aaron-nola-s-outing-against-the-braves-x8436″},{“__typename”: “Markdown”, “content”: Nola threw 68 of 94 throws (72.3 percent) for strikes. That was his fifth best hit rate of the season. In his previous nine starts, he threw just 65.4 percent of pitches for strikes, below his career average (66.8 percent). Not surprisingly, Nola had a 5.66 ERA and only pitched more than six innings twice in those nine starts.\n\nNola retired the first nine batters he faced, striking out Ozzie Albies and Austin Riley a swing in the first. Eddie Rosario struck out in the second and Sean Murphy struck out in the third. He beat out Rosario and Murphy in the trades, a deal that looked better than it has in a long time.”,”type”:”text”},{“__typename” : “Video”, “contentDate”: “2023- 09-20T16:20:00Z”, “preferredPlaybackScenarioURL({\”preferredPlaybacks\”:\”mp4AvcPlayback\”})”: “https://darkroom-clips.mlb .com/ffd9afd1-71f6-41b1-bf13-58c841397e45 .mp4″,”type”:”video”,”description”:”Pitch charts, the data behind Aaron Nola’s pitches”,”displayAsVideoGif”:true,”duration”: “00:00:04”, “slug”: ” breaking-down-aaron-nola-s-pitches-x0756″, “tags”:[{“__typename”:”TaxonomyTag”,”slug”:”data-visualization”,”title”:”data visualization”,”type”:”taxonomy”},{“__typename”:”PersonTag”,”slug”:”playerid-605400″,”title”:”Aaron Nola”,”person”:{“__ref”:”Person:605400″},”type”:”player”},{“__typename”:”GameTag”},{“__typename”:”TeamTag”,”slug”:”teamid-143″,”title”:”Philadelphia Phillies”,”team”:{“__ref”:”Team:143″},”type”:”team”}],”thumbnail”:{“__typename”: “Thumbnail”, “templateUrl”: https://img.mlbstatic.com/mlb-images/image/upload/{formatInstructions}/mlb/mrguxjnhyiemierkp5ty”},”title” : “Breaking down Aaron Nola’s pitches”, “relativeSiteUrl”: “/video/breaking-down-aaron-nola-s-pitches-x0756”},{“__typename”: “Markdown”, “content”: “Nola got 18 He totaled swings and misses, making him the third-most in any start this season, with 22 total in his last three Zone . “Everyone on our team can throw strikes. But sometimes we try to hit the zone, maybe a little too hard. Today we just saw how we can rely on how good our stuff is.” ,{“__typename “:”Video”,”contentDate”:”2023-09-20T16:42:43.156Z”,”preferredPlaybackScenarioURL({\”preferredPlaybacks\”:\”mp4AvcPlayback\”})”:”https:/ /mlb-cuts -diamond.mlb.com/FORGE/2023/2023-09/20/8c1db4d2-e55634cd-8beb106d-csvm-diamondx64-asset_1280x720_59_4000K.mp4″, “type”: “video”, “description”: “Nick Castellanos manages a solo -Home run to center field that gives Philadelphia a 2-0 lead in the 2nd inning. homers-26-on-a-fly-ball-to-center-field”,”tags”:[{“__typename”:”InternalTag”,”slug”:”season-2023″,”title”:”Season 2023″,”type”:”season”},{“__typename”:”GameTag”},{“__typename”:”PersonTag”,”slug”:”playerid-592206″,”title”:”Nick Castellanos”,”person”:{“__ref”:”Person:592206″},”type”:”player”},{“__typename”:”TeamTag”,”slug”:”teamid-143″,”title”:”Philadelphia Phillies”,”team”:{“__ref”:”Team:143″},”type”:”team”},{“__typename”:”TaxonomyTag”,”slug”:”hitting”,”title”:”hitting”,”type”:”taxonomy”},{“__typename”:”TaxonomyTag”,”slug”:”highlight”,”title”:”highlight”,”type”:”taxonomy”},{“__typename”:”TaxonomyTag”,”slug”:”in-game-highlight”,”title”:”in-game highlight”,”type”:”taxonomy”},{“__typename”:”TaxonomyTag”,”slug”:”game-action-tracking”,”title”:”game action tracking”,”type”:”taxonomy”},{“__typename”:”TaxonomyTag”,”slug”:”home-run”,”title”:”home run”,”type”:”taxonomy”},{“__typename”:”TaxonomyTag”,”slug”:”2-yahoo-mlb-ads-feed”,”title”:”2-Yahoo MLB Ads Feed”,”type”:”taxonomy”},{“__typename”:”TaxonomyTag”,”slug”:”yahoo-in-game”,”title”:”Yahoo In-Game”,”type”:”taxonomy”},{“__typename”:”TaxonomyTag”,”slug”:”send-to-news-mlb-feed”,”title”:”Send To News MLB feed”,”type”:”taxonomy”},{“__typename”:”TaxonomyTag”,”slug”:”greatest-plays”,”title”:”Greatest Plays”,”type”:”taxonomy”},{“__typename”:”TaxonomyTag”,”slug”:”eclat-feed”,”title”:”Eclat feed”,”type”:”taxonomy”},{“__typename”:”TaxonomyTag”,”slug”:”fan-duel”,”title”:”Fan Duel”,”type”:”taxonomy”},{“__typename”:”TaxonomyTag”,”slug”:”international-feed”,”title”:”International Partner feed”,”type”:”taxonomy”}],”thumbnail”:{“__typename”: “Thumbnail”, “templateUrl”: “https://img.mlbstatic.com/mlb-images/image/upload/{formatInstructions}/mlb/dpk9v8gyjmviwnnrcg1g”},”title” :”Nick Castellanos’ solo home run (26)”,”relativeSiteUrl”:”/video/nick-castellanos-homers-26-on-a-fly-ball-to-center-field”},{“__typename”: ” Markdown”,”content=”Perhaps most importantly, when Nola struggled in the fourth and fifth innings, he limited the Braves to just one run in each frame.\n\n”It was the first time in a long time that I had done that did that,” he said \”:\”mp4AvcPlayback\”})”:”https://mlb-cuts-diamond.mlb.com/FORGE/2023/2023-09/20/2e4ee77e-91bbfe65-30f06db7-csvm -diamondx64-asset_1280x720_59_4000K.mp4 “,”type”:”video”,”description”:”Bryson Stott makes a nice sliding play to the right side of the infield to block a hit from Eddie Rosario and end the 6th inning”, “displayAsVideoGif”:false, “duration”: “00:00:15”, “slug”: “eddie-rosario-grounds-out-second-baseman-bryson-stott-to-first-baseman-ja”, “tags “:[{“__typename”:”InternalTag”,”slug”:”season-2023″,”title”:”Season 2023″,”type”:”season”},{“__typename”:”GameTag”},{“__typename”:”TaxonomyTag”,”slug”:”in-game-highlight”,”title”:”in-game highlight”,”type”:”taxonomy”},{“__typename”:”TaxonomyTag”,”slug”:”game-action-tracking”,”title”:”game action tracking”,”type”:”taxonomy”},{“__typename”:”TaxonomyTag”,”slug”:”highlight”,”title”:”highlight”,”type”:”taxonomy”},{“__typename”:”TaxonomyTag”,”slug”:”defense”,”title”:”defense”,”type”:”taxonomy”},{“__typename”:”PersonTag”,”slug”:”playerid-681082″,”title”:”Bryson Stott”,”person”:{“__ref”:”Person:681082″},”type”:”player”},{“__typename”:”TeamTag”,”slug”:”teamid-143″,”title”:”Philadelphia Phillies”,”team”:{“__ref”:”Team:143″},”type”:”team”},{“__typename”:”TaxonomyTag”,”slug”:”fan-duel”,”title”:”Fan Duel”,”type”:”taxonomy”},{“__typename”:”TaxonomyTag”,”slug”:”eclat-feed”,”title”:”Eclat feed”,”type”:”taxonomy”},{“__typename”:”TaxonomyTag”,”slug”:”international-feed”,”title”:”International Partner feed”,”type”:”taxonomy”}],”thumbnail”:{“__typename”: “Thumbnail”, “templateUrl”: https://img.mlbstatic.com/mlb-images/image/upload/{formatInstructions}/mlb/zlabdt05kmykqvheufm4″},”title” : “Bryson Stotts Sliding Play”, “relativeSiteUrl”: “/video/eddie-rosario-grounds-out-second-baseman-bryson-stott-to-first-baseman-ja”},{“__typename”: “Markdown” ” content”: “The Phillies lost the season series 8-5 to the Braves, but anyone who watched those games could see how close they were. It’s another potentially epic battle in the NLDS, especially if Nola is there.” about his game.\n\n”Hopefully it’s a step in the right direction,” said Nola. “These guys are always hard on me. They foul a lot of balls. They spoil a lot of pitches. For a win “It’s definitely a big step forward in this game.””summary”:”ATLANTA – Sometimes the devil wins.\nHe helped the Phillies beat the Braves by 6 in 10 innings on Wednesday afternoon at Truist Park :5, giving them a 2 1/2 game lead over Arizona for the No. 1 seed in the National League Wild Card with 10 games to play. Atlanta had the game-winning run.”,”tagline({\”formatString\”:\”none\”})”:null,”tags”:[{“__typename”:”InternalTag”,”slug”:”storytype-article”,”title”:”Article”,”type”:”article”},{“__typename”:”GameTag”,”slug”:”gamepk-716509″,”title”:”2023/09/20 phi@atl”,”type”:”game”},{“__typename”:”TaxonomyTag”,”slug”:”apple-news”,”title”:”Apple News”,”type”:”taxonomy”},{“__typename”:”ContributorTag”,”slug”:”todd-zolecki”,”title”:”Todd Zolecki”,”type”:”contributor”},{“__typename”:”TeamTag”,”slug”:”teamid-143″,”title”:”Philadelphia Phillies”,”team”:{“__ref”:”Team:143″},”type”:”team”},{“__typename”:”TaxonomyTag”,”slug”:”game-recap”,”title”:”game recap”,”type”:”taxonomy”},{“__typename”:”PersonTag”,”slug”:”playerid-605400″,”title”:”Aaron Nola”,”person”:{“__ref”:”Person:605400″},”type”:”player”},{“__typename”:”PersonTag”,”slug”:”playerid-592206″,”title”:”Nick Castellanos”,”person”:{“__ref”:”Person:592206″},”type”:”player”}]”type”: “story”, “thumbnail”: “https://img.mlbstatic.com/mlb-images/image/upload/{formatInstructions}/mlb/sodllmwqxnfyn9uptpeo”, “title”: “Nick Castellanos makes decisive plays You in the Phillies victory. 592206},”Person:681082”:{“__typename”:”Person”, “id”:681082},”Person:605400″:{“__typename”: “Person”, “id”:605400}}} Window. adobeAnalytics = {“reportingSuiteId”: “mlbglobal08, mlbcom08”, “linkInternalFilters”: “mlb”} window.globalState = {“tracking_title”: “Major League Baseball”, “lang”: “en”} window.appId = ” /*–>*/
The right fielder’s decision, combined with Nola’s 8-K gem, helps Philly win the series
September 20, 2023
ATLANTA – Sometimes the devil wins.
He helped the Phillies beat the Braves 6-5 in 10 innings at Truist Park on Wednesday afternoon, giving them a 2 1/2 game lead over Arizona for the No. 1 Wild Card spot in the National League, ten games to go. Atlanta got the game-winning run at third base with one out in the ninth when Orlando Arcia hit a fly ball down the right field line. Phillies right fielder Nick Castellanos chased it into foul territory, and everyone in the stadium had the same thing in mind, whether they said it out loud like Phillies broadcaster John Kruk or just thought it.
“We were all kind of mumbling, ‘Leave it, leave it, leave it,'” Phillies manager Rob Thomson said.
“I thought, ‘Let it be,'” second baseman Bryson Stott added.
“I was screaming at the top of my lungs to drop it,” catcher Garrett Stubbs said.
The angel sitting on Castellanos’ shoulder said the same thing.
But then the devil spoke up.
“I thought I was going to drop it, but at the last moment a voice popped into my head and said, ‘Catch it and throw him out,'” Castellanos said.
“That sounds like Nick,” Stott joked.
Castellanos, who had previously hit a home run twice, caught the ball, spun and threw pinch-runner Luke Williams to the plate to keep the Phillies’ chances alive.
This time Castellanos listened to the right person.
“Well, he usually just pops up when I hit, you know?” Castellanos said of the voice in his head. “For example, ‘Don’t take that 2-0 pitch.’ Then he decided to show up right there in the ninth after that ball.”
The Phillies had runners on second and third with two outs in the tenth when AJ Minter intentionally walked Alec Bohm so he could face Stott.
Stott belted a double to left to score two runs.
“One swing defines every game, that’s how it feels,” Stott said. “We want it to be our swing.”
The Phillies won the final series of the year against Atlanta unless they meet again in the NLDS. It would happen if the Phillies secured one of the top two NL Wild Card spots and then won a best-of-three NL Wild Card series.
Those chances improve if the Phillies see the version of Aaron Nola they got on Wednesday.
Nola had his best performance in more than three weeks. He allowed two runs in six innings, allowed six hits and had eight strikeouts.
His recipe for success on Wednesday was simple: attack the strike zone and limit the damage.
“He controlled the chaos,” Thomson said.
Nola threw 68 of 94 pitches (72.3 percent) for strikes. It was his fifth best hit rate of the season. In his last nine starts, he threw just 65.4 percent of throws for strikes, below his career average (66.8 percent). Not surprisingly, Nola had a 5.66 ERA and only threw more than six innings twice in those nine starts.
Nola retired the first nine batters he faced, striking out Ozzie Albies and Austin Riley with a swing in the first, Eddie Rosario with a swing in the second and Sean Murphy with a swing in the third. He left Rosario and Murphy out of the substitutions, an offer that looked better than it had in a long time.
Nola totaled 18 swings and misses, the third-most of all starts this season. He had a total of 22 points in his last three.
“We tried to do that with everyone,” Stubbs said of the increased offense in the zone. “Everyone on our team can throw strikes. But sometimes we try to reach the zone maybe a little too much. Today we saw how we can rely on how good our stuff is.”
Perhaps most importantly, when Nola struggled in the fourth and fifth innings, he limited the Braves to just one run in each frame.
“It was the first time I’d done that in a long time,” he said.
The Phillies lost the season series to the Braves 8-5, but anyone who watched those games could see how close they were. It’s another potentially epic fight in the NLDS, especially if Nola is in good spirits.
“Hopefully it’s a step in the right direction,” Nola said. “These guys are always hard on me. They foul a lot of balls. They spoil a lot of pitches. Getting a win in this game is definitely a big step for the future.”