Nola Snaps Losing Streak For Phillies

GAME RECAP: Phillies Dominate Padres 7-1

Phillies rookie Aaron Nola looks like the real deal. He allowed two hits, one run, two walks and struck out six in seven innings on Friday night in a 7-1 victory over the Padres at Citizens Bank Park. The Phillies' first-round pick in the 2014 MLB Draft improved to 5-1 with a 3.26 ERA in eight big league starts. "I'll take five pitchers just like him," Phillies interim manager Pete Mackanin said. The Phillies scored a pair of runs in the fourth inning, thanks to a hit batter and a wild pitch. The Padres scored their only run in the top of the fourth, but even when Nola left the game they could not get anything going against the Phillies' bullpen. "Seven innings, we're a run back so credit to the Phillies," Padres manager Pat Murphy said. "They have our number right now. We have a chance to win the series and that's what we intend to do. We had a blip there in the eighth, but we'll be ready tomorrow."

OTHER NOTES FROM THE DAY:

• Nola continues to live up to the hype, pitching well in seven innings against the Padres. This start followed eight scoreless innings on Sunday against the Marlins at Marlins Park. "I feel a little bit more comfortable now," Nola said. "I know I can pitch here. But my main goal is to pitch to win and to try and keep the guys in the best position every single time I go out."
• Phillies catcher Cameron Rupp provided plenty of insurance when he hit a three-run home run to left field in a five-run eighth inning. Rupp is hitting .333 (20-for-60) with three doubles, six homers and 17 RBIs and a 1.080 OPS in 17 games from July 26 through Friday. "I guess it's when Aaron pitches, apparently," Rupp said. "I am just getting good pitches to hit, being aggressive when the ball is in the zone and good things are happening."
• "When they gave the ball in the eighth, I thought they were joking at first. Rod [Nichols] told me I was in the game, I'm like, 'OK, sure.' He's like, 'No, you're in the game.' I was like, 'Oh, boy.'" -- Phillies right-hander Jerome Williams, who just moved from the rotation to the bullpen. He pitched the final two innings to earn the second save of his career.
• Phillies rookie Aaron Altherr tripled to right field in the eighth inning to score a run to give the Phillies a 3-1 lead. It was the seventh hit of Altherr's career, and his seventh extra-base hit (two homers, four doubles and a triple). He is the only Phillies rookie since 1900 to begin his career with seven extra-base hits. He also is the first rookie in the big leagues to begin his career with seven extra-base hits since Carlos Gonzalez did it in 2008 as a member of the Oakland A's.
• Jeff Francoeur's pinch-hit double scored a run in the eighth inning. He leads baseball with 11 pinch-hit RBIs. He is hitting .478 (11-for-23) with three doubles, one home run and 11 RBIs as a pinch-hitter.

NEXT GAME:

Phillies rookie left-hander Adam Morgan takes the mound at 7:05 p.m. ET on Saturday and hopes to rebound from a rough start earlier this week against the Mets. He allowed seven hits, five runs and four home runs in just 3 2/3 innings in a 16-7 loss. Padres rookie Colin Rea will be making his fourth career start at 4:05 p.m. PT on Saturday and will look to last longer than his last outing in which he allowed four earned runs in as many innings of work. It will also mark his first start away from Petco Park.

PHILS PHACTS:

Nola Making His Mark – The Phillies entered Friday night's series opener against the Padres on pace for 99 losses. But that does not mean they are not worth watching the rest of the season. In fact, they should be quite interesting to follow because four out of every five games (or four out of every six, if they employ a six-man rotation once rosters expand on Tuesday) the Phillies will have a rookie pitcher on the mound. Aaron Nola is the most promising of a foursome that includes Adam Morgan, Jerad Eickhoff and Alec Asher. Nola allowed two hits, one run, two walks and struck out six in seven innings Friday in a 7-1 victory at Citizens Bank Park. He has allowed one run in 15 innings in his last two starts. "I'll take five pitchers just like him," Phillies interim manager Pete Mackanin said. Nola threw just 86 pitches, but was pulled as the Phillies continue to monitor his workload. Nola has thrown 159 innings this season, including innings with Double-A Reading and Triple-A Lehigh Valley. The Phillies have said they want him to finish the season around 185. "He's a young guy, first year in the Major Leagues," Mackanin explained. "In his last two innings he could have gone further. But we don't want anything to happen. We just want to make sure he comes out on a positive note. We have to do that this year." Nola did not allow a hit until Justin Upton hit a solo home run to left-center field with one out in the fourth inning. He retired 11 of the final 13 batters he faced. Nola improved to 5-1 with a 3.26 ERA in eight big league starts. "I feel a little bit more comfortable now," Nola said. "I know I can pitch here. But my main goal is to pitch to win and to try and keep the guys in the best position every single time I go out." Scouts and others tried to lower expectations for Nola upon his arrival July 21. They said he projected as a No. 3 starter, despite the fact the Phillies selected him in the first round of the 2014 MLB Draft. But Nola has looked better than that. "The guy throws strikes down in the zone," Mackanin said. "His breaking ball has improved since he's been here. He's got movement, deception and a very good presence on the mound. He's fun to watch pitch. He's been doing a great job for us."

Making An Impression – One of these days Aaron Altherr is going to hit a blooper, a chopper or a broken-bat bleeder. One of these days he is going to get that first big league single. But until then Altherr will keep stockpiling extra-base hits like Jordan Speith stockpiles birdies. Altherr tripled to right field in the eighth inning of Friday night's 7-1 victory over the Padres at Citizens Bank Park. He is the first Phillies rookie to begin his career with seven extra-base hits (two homers, four doubles and a triple). He is the first big league rookie to begin his career with seven extra-base hits since Carlos Gonzalez did it in 2008 as a member of the Oakland A's. "I'm just trying to find a way to get the barrel on the ball and have good things happen," Altherr said. "I'm just fortunate they've all gone for extra-base hits so far." Does he even recall the last time he singled? "I don't even remember to be honest with you," he said with a smile. It happened Aug. 16, when he played his last game with Triple-A Lehigh Valley. He singled twice against Pawtucket. Of course, the singles will come. And who wouldn't take doubles, triples and home runs? But Altherr certainly has been fun to watch since his arrival Aug. 18. Phillies interim manager Pete Mackanin said this week that Altherr will start to see more playing time the rest of the season, and why not? "I'm looking forward to that challenge," Altherr said. "I played every day in the Minor Leagues, so I'm ready for that. I'm just ready to be in there and show what I can do on a daily basis. It's awesome [here]. It's the big league life, you know? It's everything you've ever dreamed of. Hopefully I can stay here for a while and keep doing well."

Elvis Has Left The Building – The Phillies placed left-hander Elvis Araujo on the 15-day disabled list on Friday with a strained left groin. They recalled right-hander Nefi Ogando from Triple-A Lehigh Valley to take his place in the bullpen. Araujo is 2-1 with a 3.38 ERA in 40 appearances this season. He has allowed 29 hits, 17 runs, 13 earned runs, 19 walks and has struck out 34 in 34 2/3 innings. Phillies interim manager Pete Mackanin expects more bullpen reinforcements when rosters can expand on Tuesday. "We need to get through the next four days," Mackanin said. "Don't want to hurt anybody's arm." Phillies relievers entered Friday night's series opener against the Padres at Citizens Bank Park with 425 2/3 innings pitched this season. That is the third-highest workload in baseball. Only the D-backs (443 innings) and Rockies (427 innings) bullpens have thrown more. "Very worn out," Mackanin said about his bullpen. "We've had to use so many guys so often that we even tried to win that game last night by sending [closer Ken] Giles back out there for two innings. Fortunately he only threw 30 pitches in the two innings. He may be available tonight. It's good to have somebody else come up and keep those guys out of games."

Prospect Sidelined With Concussion – Double-A Reading outfielder Nick Williams has looked like the real deal since the Phillies acquired him from the Rangers in July in the Cole Hamels trade. But Williams, who posted a .902 OPS in 21 games since his arrival, suffered a concussion Wednesday when he collided with the Buffalo first baseman while running to first. The Phillies placed Williams on the seven-day disabled list Friday. "Nick's fine," Phillies player development director Joe Jordan said Friday afternoon at Citizens Bank Park. "He had a headache after the game. It wasn't totally gone the following day. So just standard protocol anymore is seven days after a concussion DL. We don't expect it to be an issue. He didn't get hit in the head by a batted ball or pitched ball. He had a collision. We don't see it lingering at all. We're hopeful that when the seven days are up, he's ready to go. If it's seven to 10 days, we don't expect it to interfere with participating in the playoffs or anything like that. It's more precautionary than anything." The Phillies also acquired catcher Jorge Alfaro in the trade. He has been sidelined following left ankle surgery, but he began a rehab assignment Thursday with the GCL Phillies. "He caught three innings today and our guys were very impressed," Jordan said. "He's a terrific talent and we knew that going in. He threw a runner out in the first yesterday and I got some 'Wows' from the guys in Florida. The first impressions are very, very good. The way he's approached rehab we've been able to work him defensively extensively. His ankle is really close to 100 percent." The Phillies plan to send Alfaro to Instructional League to help him make up for lost time. He then will play Winter Ball in Venezuela. Williams is the No. 60 prospect in baseball, according to MLBPipeline.com. Alfaro is No. 64. Right-hander Jake Thompson, who the Phillies also acquired from Texas in the Hamels deal, is ranked No. 56. He is 3-1 with a 1.97 ERA in five starts with Double-A Reading. "I've been impressed with him," Jordan said. "He's obviously done very well. I think there's room for development and room for improvement. I believe he's a guy we can help. But I'm really excited about what he's done. He's been pretty good."

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies have returned to their lackluster ways and regained their grip on last place in the NL East with a record of 51-78. Given the departures, aging stars, injuries, and bipolar performances this season, this could still end up being the worst team in franchise history… at least that is something to hope for this year! All time, the Phillies are 45-60-1 on this day.