Categories: 2023 Postgame Recaps

Nola pitches gem as Phillies sweep Cardinals in Philadelphia for first time in 20 years

Aaron Nola won his 12th game of the season on Sunday against the Cardinals. (Photo by Cody Glenn/Icon Sportswire)

Final Score: Phillies 3, Cardinals 0

If the Phillies are going go on another long playoff run, they will have to survive another tricky three-game Wild Card series against a scrappy opponent.

The Phillies stole Game 1 with a miraculous ninth inning comeback and pitched their way to a sweep thanks to a dominant start by Aaron Nola in Game 2 last season in St. Louis. Not having to start Ranger Suárez in a Game 3 was a big reason why the Phillies won Game 1 against the Braves in the NLDS.

The goal the rest of the way is to keep stacking wins and secure home-field advantage in that three-game series. Playing at home makes the prospect of a three-game playoff series less scary, but ultimately, what really matters is getting two excellent performances from staff aces Nola and Zack Wheeler.

Granted, they won’t be facing the Cardinals again this year, but the last two days have been a positive development on that front.

Zack Wheeler’s stuff looked as crisp as it has all year in Saturday’s win. He threw seven innings, allowed one run on three hits and earned his 10th victory of 2023.

Nola followed up with an even better outing. He allowed zero runs through seven innings. A leadoff double from Tommy Edman in the first inning was the only hit he allowed. With nine strikeouts, Nola tied Curt Schilling for fifth on the all-time Phillies strikeout leaderboard with 1,554.

“We got three really good starts in this series,” Rob Thomson said after the game. “I’m very encouraged by the stuff that I saw the last two nights with those two guys. I thought [Nola] was fantastic. His curveball was probably the best he’s had all year, locating his fastball, mixing in some changeups, kept them off balance.”

Nola has thrown consecutive quality starts for only the third time this season. His ERA has dropped by 28 points since his Aug. 4 start against Kansas City.

Kyle Schwarber hit his seventh leadoff home run of the year on the first pitch he saw to give the Phillies an early 1-0 lead in the first. Johan Rojas had three hits and a run scored. Bryce Harper drove in the third run of the day on a base hit in the seventh inning.

In his first save opportunity since Aug. 5, the Cardinals brought the tying run to the plate against Craig Kimbrel, but Nolan Arenado flew out and Wilson Contreras struck out to end the game.

With the win, the Phillies (72-58) are a season-high 14-games over .500 and sweep the Cardinals in the regular season for the first time since Aug. 1-3, 2006. It also marks the first time the Phillies have swept St. Louis at home in the Citizens Bank Park era and the first time the Phillies have swept a series since July 4-6, 2023 against the Tampa Bay Rays.

“We were talking about. We don’t really remember the last time we swept was,” Schwarber said. “Nice to be able to get a sweep, especially in front of the crowds here this weekend.”

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