Nola tosses 8 innings of 2-hit ball, Phillies blank Nats 6-0

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Aaron Nola pitched another gem for the Phillies. One day, he might actually get to finish one.

Eight’s been enough for Nola, who has to save that right arm for a team chasing a playoff spot.

“The prize is in the month of October,” Phillies manager Joe Girardi said.

Nola might get them there for the first time in nine years. He tossed two-hit ball over eight innings, Andrew McCutchen hit a three-run homer and Alec Bohm also went deep to lead Philadelphia past the Washington Nationals 6-0 on Tuesday night.

“You could see his stuff was really good right from the beginning,” Girardi said.

So could the Nationals — stars Trea Turner and Juan Soto went a combined 0 for 6.

“This is the best I think I’ve seen Nola throw,” Washington manager Dave Martinez said.

Nola (4-2) threw 113 pitches in his latest dominant outing before he yielded to Hector Neris for the ninth. Nola has yet to pitch a complete game in 134 career starts dating to his debut in 2015. He struck out nine and allowed two or fewer runs for the fifth time this season.

The Phillies are trying to make the playoffs for the first time since 2011 and are now in the stretch when their hopes traditionally begin to fade. Philadelphia went a combined 93-123 in September from 2012-19 and its .431 winning percentage during the month ranked 27th out of 30 major league teams.

Perhaps, in this far-out season when even a .500 record makes a playoff push realistic, the Phillies could break the drought.

“I don’t personally feel like we’re even hot,” McCutchen said. “We’re getting there. I’m feeling like this month for us is going to be a big month.”

Bohm’s solo shot to left field for his second homer of the season and J.T. Realmuto’s RBI single off Washington starter...

source https://www.chron.com/sports/article/Nola-tosses-8-innings-of-2-hit-ball-Phillies-15536179.php