Aaron Nola dazzles when most needed as Phillies snap losing streak

Final: Phillies 12, Cubs 3

If the Philadelphia Phillies were looking for a performance that would turn the tide on what’s been an uneven season, Saturday may have been it.

A day after losing 10-1 to the Cubs, the Phillies needed an outburst of their own offensively. They got that, with a first-inning grand slam by Kyle Schwarber setting the tone.

And following a week of mostly disastrous starting pitching performances that led to a five-game losing streak, the Phillies needed Aaron Nola to be a stopper Saturday and alleviate the pressure on an overtaxed bullpen. He did just that.

Of the two positive developments, Nola turning in a vintage performance is probably the most encouraging for the Phillies as they move forward. Outside of a two-run home run that he allowed to Danbsy Swanson in the top of the sixth inning, Nola was pretty much perfect Saturday, scattering four hits and striking out 10 batters over seven innings:

For Nola it was his 28th career game with 10 or more strikeouts, but his first of 2023. Prior to Saturday, he hadn’t struck out more than six batters in a single game this season.

“Of course I wanted to win, that was a good win for us today,” Nola said after the game. “I just wanted to not change anything … not do anything I’m not capable of doing … be myself and try to fill up the zone and kind of hit those little goals.”

Nola’s performance Saturday only lowers his ERA to 4.31, so it won’t halt the never-ending debate about whether or not he’s an ace, nor will convince critics that he’s worth a $150 million+ investment to keep him with the Phillies beyond 2023.

But a season ago, a 9-7 win over the Los Angeles Angels that featured dramatic home runs from Bryce Harper and Bryson Stott ended up being the turning point, even though it only improved the Phillies record to 25-29.

Perhaps Sunday’s win — headlined by a strong outing from Nola and a grand slam from Schwarber — will be a similar turning point for the 2023 Phillies.

Shibe Vintage Sports Notes

• Jameson Taillon — who was a Phillies offseason target — signed a four-year/$68 million deal with the Cubs, and so far it’s been a disaster. Saturday, Taillon allowed six hits and eight runs, six of which were earned, over just 2 1/3 inning pitched.
• 42,508 was the paid attendance for Saturday’s game against the Cubs, which was announced as a sellout by the Phillies.
• This is kind of hard to believe, but true.

• Before Schwarber’s grand slam, it had been a minute for the Phillies:

• It’s been hard not to notice this:

Ticket IQ Next Game

• Sunday, May 21 vs. Cubs at Citizens Bank Park
• 1:35 p.m. ET
• TV: NBC Sports Philadelphia, MLB Network (out of market only)
• Radio: SportsRadio 94 WIP
• Spanish Radio: WTTM 1680

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