‘I have no concern’: Nola struggles, but Thomson remains confident

Final Score: Mets 11, Phillies 3

The Mets at one point had no hits against Aaron Nola. It was actually the second time this season the Mets began the game with no hits against Nola through four innings. If you recall, Nola’s best start of the season came against the Mets in Queens on May 14, when he threw a complete-game shutout and carried a perfect game into the sixth.

This one didn’t go as well. Once again, the big inning doomed Nola. He surrendered two three-run home runs in the fifth, one to No. 8 hitter Francisco Alvarez and the other to Brandon Nimmo. It’s the second straight start in which Nola has failed to get out of the fifth inning.

“I just got to eliminate the big inning,” Nola said. “Obviously the fifth inning was the big inning. It spiraled too much. … The fifth really got away from me. I’m just going to keep doing what I usually do and try to finish as best as I can and flush this one quick.”

A trend from last season is starting to reemerge with Nola. In his first two starts in September of 2023, Nola pitched 4 2/3 and 4 1/3 innings. His streak of starts without finishing five innings lasted one more game, but then Nola eventually got it together and turned in two good outings of at least six innings to close out the season against the Braves and Pirates.

His manager is confident that he’ll find that groove again.

“I have no concern,” Rob Thomson said postgame. “We’re not in. I’ve said that all along until we’re in, but I think his performance in October has shown he can bounce back.”

Nola’s season ERA is at 3.62.

The Phillies are 88-59. The lead in the NL East over the Mets is now at seven. The magic number to clinch the NL East remains at nine.

Highlights

• Alvarez hit a three-run home run off the left-field foul pole to give the Mets a 3-0 lead. The home run snapped a 13-inning scoreless streak Nola had against the Mets.

• Nimmo’s three-run home run spelled the end of Nola’s night.

• Harrison Bader hit the third three-run home run on the night for the Mets in the eighth against Tyler Gilbert.

• Here’s something to salvage out of today’s game. Brandon Marsh hit a home run against a lefty in the ninth inning. The home run prevented the Phillies from getting shut out for the sixth time this season.

Notes

• Kyle Schwarber’s sixth inning infield single the opposite way extended his hitting streak to 10. Schwarber’s first two outs of the game were hit at 112.2 and 109.9 mph.

• NL MVP candidate Francisco Lindor was replaced by Eddie Alvarez in the bottom of the seventh inning. Lindor did not slide into second on a double, overran the base and slipped while in a quick rundown between second and third in his last at-bat in the sixth inning. Mets manager Carlos Mendoza and an athletic trainer talked to Lindor after the top of the sixth, but he stayed in the game. The Mets announced during the game that Lindor left with lower back soreness.
• Kody Clemens pitched the ninth inning for the Phillies. He allowed a home run to Pete Alonso.
• J.T. Realmuto (sore left knee) was in the starting lineup for the first time since Sept. 6. He went 0-for-3 with a strikeout.

Ticket IQ Next Game

• Saturday, Sept. 14 vs. New York Mets at Citizens Bank Park
• 4:05 p.m. EST
• NBC Sports Philadelphia
• 94 WIP

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