PHILADELPHIA _ It was just six weeks ago that concern lingered around Aaron Nola as his ERA soared and his back tightened a season after he was sidelined with an elbow impingement. Perhaps Nola was not the pitcher the Phillies had hoped he was after he raced two summers ago through the minor leagues.
And it took just six weeks for those doubts to dissipate. Nola delivered again on Wednesday night as he tamed baseball's best offense in a 9-0 win over Houston. He dominated the Astros for six scoreless innings, striking out a career-high 10 batters and walking just one while allowing four hits. The Astros were shutout for just the third time this season and first since May 20.
Nola has a 1.49 ERA in his last seven starts after registering a 4.76 mark through his first nine starts. The right-hander became the first Phillies pitcher since Curt Schilling in 1998 to strike out seven or more batters in six-straight starts. He has seemed to right his season. It may be tough to find a reason to watch the Phillies over the season's final nine weeks, but Nola will provide a reason every fifth game.
Cameron Rupp hit a pair of two-run homers, becoming the first Phillies catcher since Mike Lieberthal in 2006 to homer twice in a game. Rupp will spend Thursday's off day hosting a charity event for the Pennsylvania SPCA at Morgan's Pier. Tommy Joseph, who scored on both of Rupp's blasts, hit a two-run double in the fourth. Nick Williams singled in a run and Maikel Franco homered off the foul pole in the fifth.
Howie Kendrick's trade value took a dip when he left the game after being hit by a pitch in the left hand.
The pitch _ a 91 mph fastball from Houston right-hander Mike Fiers _ struck Kendrick in the third inning. He played the fourth inning in the field, but was lifted for a pinch-hitter in the bottom of the inning. The Phillies said he left the game with "left hand soreness." The Phillies are hoping to ship Kendrick off to a contender before the July 31 trade deadline. That will now depend on Kendrick's health.
Kendrick returned to the Phillies last Friday after spending three weeks on the disabled list with a hamstring injury. He was on the disabled list earlier this season with an abdominal strain. Earlier on Wednesday, the Phillies lost a chance to trade Daniel Nava when he was placed on the disabled list with a hamstring strain. If healthy, Nava and Kendrick could be traded in August through waivers.
Nola's previous six starts were impressive, but the true test would be against the Astros. He proved himself against an offense that has scored more runs than any other team and fielded a lineup on Wednesday with four of their five hitters batting above .300. The Astros were missing three regulars but were far from a pushover. Nola became the first National League East pitcher this season to defeat them.
He silenced them with his curveball, using the breaking pitch to record seven of his 10 strikeouts. The pitch _ when it moves like it did on Wednesday _ is an elite offering. Nola used the curveball to spot an 0-2 count with two outs in the sixth against Marwin Gonzalez, who watched a pair of curveballs dot the bottom part of the strike zone. Gonzalez then fouled off three-straight fastballs, challenging Nola to revert back to the curveball. He did and Gonzalez could not touch it. Another brilliant Nola start was finished and those doubts seemed even further removed.
