PHILADELPHIA _ Every fifth day, when the Phillies hand the ball to Aaron Nola, they can see the future. This season is about the future; a first half filled with darkness often blurred what was a hazy image even before 53 losses in 80 games. But Nola has provided light, this time with seven stellar innings in a 4-0 Phillies win.
The right-hander did not permit a hit until the fifth inning. A Pirates runner did not reach third base until the seventh inning because of a lazy fly ball that fell between three Phillies defenders. Nola struck out eight. He walked one.
He leaned on his fastball and curveball, then mixed a change-up with exceptional bite. He fired first-pitch strikes to 20 of the 27 batters he faced.
He was in control.
His teammates supported him with two two-run homers. Freddy Galvis, whose wife, Ana, gave birth Monday morning to their second daughter, Nicole, smashed the first pitch he saw to deep right. Maikel Franco blistered another first-pitch fastball in the third inning. For one night, all was well at Citizens Bank Park.
It is easy to forget that Nola just turned 24 and is a veteran of a mere 45 starts in the majors. The former first-round pick was so good, so quick. Everything since then has cast doubt about his potential place in the Phillies' future.
He lowered his ERA to 3.73 with Monday's outing. Nola, in his last three starts, has surrendered three runs over 21 1/3 innings. He has struck out 35 and walked eight in that span.
The fans who dotted the blue seats Monday night sensed something special. Nola walked the leadoff hitter, Adam Frazier, on five pitches. He retired 14 of the next 15 Pirates hitters, with the lone exception an Andres Blanco error at second base.
In the fifth inning, when Pirates shortstop Jordy Mercer cracked a liner that nicked Franco's outstretched glove at third and bounced into left field for Pittsburgh's first hit, a smattering of applause filled the ballpark. The effort by a pitcher on the team with baseball's worst record did not go unnoticed.
Nola fought Pirates pinch-hitter John Jaso for eight pitches in the seventh inning. There were runners on the corners. Jaso fouled a full-count curveball. Nola countered with a high fastball. Jaso tipped that one, too.
So the right-hander turned to his third pitch. The Phillies trust Nola because they believe he has a strong aptitude for pitching, a mind-set that can compensate for a fastball that lives in the low 90s and hits 94 mph on a good night. Nola threw Jaso a change-up outside. Jaso whiffed.
That was a moment of maturation for Nola. This game will reward confidence, and if Nola has conviction to throw his third-best pitch in the game's tightest situation, it could be one of the brightest signs yet in a dark season.
