8/25 Game Recap: Phillies beat Reds 4-0, as Aaron Nola Hurls Complete Game Shutout

SOUTH PHILADELPHIA - We’ve said it a hundred times and we might say it a hundred more, This team is special… Im not saying it just to say it or get people excited, Im saying it because it’s the flat-out truth. This Phillies squad is different, They showed us why yet again tonight. With the Bullpen stretched thin the Phillies needed a big night from Aaron Nola. A big night is exactly what they got, Nola came in and pitched a complete game shutout, allowing just 5 hits and 0 walks throughout the contest. It was truly a dream scenario for the Fightin Phils down in South Philly tonight.

Noles started off the night with a clean 6-pitch inning setting the first 3 Reds batters down in order. After allowing a leadoff hit to Donovan Solano in the second inning Nola would make it through the next 7 frames clean as a whistle. In the meantime, the Phillies offense would give their ace a little help (not that he needed much). A third-inning moonshot to dead center from Kyle Schwarber would give the Phils all the run support they needed, but a sac fly (5th) and a 2 RBI single (7th) from Edmundo Sosa would set the Phillies up at 4-0. In the 8th inning, it would begin to get a little choppy as Nola would allow two singles to lead off the frame. However, the Bayou Boy battened down the hatches striking out the last 3 batters to head into the final inning at 92 pitches. The 9th would look to be more of the same with Nick Senzel leading it off with a single and a two-out TJ Freidl double that looked like it could score Senzel from first and probably would have if it wasn’t for a Hamstring injury he had suffered earlier in the game. Finally, at 100 pitches Aristides Aquino would send a tapper back to the mound all but sealing it as Aaron Nola would flip an underhand toss to Rhys Hoskins at first ending the ballgame.

A complete game shutout such as this could not have come at a better time this year. With the bullpen stretched thin and Zach Wheeler going onto the IL earlier today, there may not have been a more suitable game for a performance such as this. That is what has me believing in this team. Things like this don’t come as a coincidence, they happen because players understand their job and understand the goal at hand. Aaron Nola knew what the situation was today and he was able to put his best foot forward and put together his best performance of the season. Let’s hope we can get more moments like these when the Pirates come to town this weekend, the series will begin tomorrow night at 7:05 down in South Philly and will be highlighted by the return of Bryce Harper. But for now, good morning, good afternoon, and good night, and of course Go Phils!