Phillies Blow 5-0 Lead as Aaron Nola Continues to Struggle

PHILADELPHIA — The Phillies held a 5-0 lead three innings into the first game of their four-game set against Pittsburgh on Monday, June 29. Instead of coasting with the lead, veteran right-hander Aaron Nola continued to struggle, and the Phillies came unraveled in a six-run fifth inning that marked the death knell in an 11-7 loss.

Trea Turner and Brandon Marsh each homered in the first inning against Pirates’ right-hander Braxton Ashcraft. Center fielder Justin Crawford singled to begin the third, as did Turner, putting runners at the corners. Kyle Schwarber lifted a sacrifice fly to center, allowing Crawford to trot home, then Bryce Harper crushed a home run to right to extend the lead to five runs.

Phils Fall Apart

Ashcraft got stronger as the game went on, managing to strike out eight batters across six innings; Nola struggled as his pitch count grew, the Pirates’ rally starting with a two-run homer from rookie Esmerlyn Valdez in the fourth. Five of Pittsburgh’s first six batters reached in the fifth, Nola exiting with the bases loaded and the game tied 5-5.

Seth Johnson couldn’t stop the bleeding, walking in the go-ahead run. The Phillies had a chance to escape the inning on a potential double play ball to Harper, but Turner airmailed the return throw and allowed two more runs to cross — pushing Nola’s ERA to 6.04 on the season with seven earned runs allowed.

J.T. Realmuto wore a pitch and Crawford singled in the seventh, bringing the tying run to the plate with one out. Turner went down swinging, then Schwarber came within a few feet of tying the game on a drive that excited the home crowd before hooking foul. Schwarber grounded out on the next pitch, ending the inning. Marsh breathed life into the offense the following frame with his second homer of the game.

Bryson Stott singled, took second on a wild pitch and scored on a Realmuto base hit, cutting the deficit to 8-7. Derek Hill drew a walk to keep the line moving, but Crawford went down looking on a curveball that snipped the outside edge of the plate. Pirates’ catcher Endy Rodríguez hit a three-run bomb in the ninth, quashing the comeback bid.

The Phillies’ series with Pittsburgh will continue at 6:40 p.m. on Tuesday, June 30, left-hander Cristopher Sánchez facing Bubba Chandler.