The bottom of the second saw the Dodgers replace their opener, Anthony Banda, with Landon Knack, who promptly imitated his predecessor by allowing a solo shot, this one from Brandon Marsh. The Phillies then loaded the bases via a walk and two infield singles, but stranded all the runners.
The Dodgers and Gavin Lux joined the solo shot party in the top of the 5th, bringing the score to 2-1. Nola, unfazed, proceeded to strike out the next three batters.
After a few quiet innings, the Phillies bats woke up with bloop from Nick Castellanos, and a RBI triple from Marsh. Johan Rojas slipped a ground ball into the gap between third and short to send Marsh on the short trip home, and in a hurry the score was 4-1.
Matt Strahm took over in the top of the 7th. Nola wrapped up his night with 9 Ks, 4 hits, and just 1 run allowed. Strahm navigated his inning without allowing a run, in part due to a tremendous effort from Johan Rojas, whose running, leaping catch in deep left-center summoned up a tremendous roar from the CBP faithful.
The Phillies and Jeff Hoffman ran into some trouble in the 8th, beginning with Bryce Harper missing a toss at first to turn an out into Freeman on 2nd. A walk and a single loaded the bases, but Miguel Rojas hit into a double play, leaving the Dodgers with their one lonely run.
The 8th saw Kyle Schwarber knock in a solo shot (the fourth of the night between both teams), bringing the score to 5-1 in favor of the Philadelphias.
José Alvarado came in to finish it. He struck out Miguel Vargas, then allowed a walk. The subsequent grounder from Enrique Hernandéz became for a 6-4-3 double play to end the game and finalize the sweep.
The Phillies are 61-32. They return to action tomorrow against their former neighbors, the A’s, at 6:40.
It won’t always be easy. It can’t always be easy. But sometimes it’s just your night. The Phillies came into tonight’s game looking to complete a sweep against the Dodgers, owners of the second best record in the Senior Circuit. But the Dodgers, forced into a bullpen game, came in with a hand tied behind their back. They had their chances and loaded the bases a few times. They ended up with a single run. The Phillies, meanwhile, enjoyed a few homers, a marvelous catch from Johan Rojas, and the retro sights and sounds of 80’s night.
Aaron Nola cruised through the first two batters, inducing a popout from Shohei Ohtani and punching out Will Smith. He hit some turbulence as he walked Freddie Freeman and allowed an infield hit to Teoscar Hernández, but got out of the inning with no runs allowed.
There was no leadoff Schwarbomb today. A shame, but a Trea Turner solo shot helped to soothe the disappointment . Good things come to those who wait (even if they’re not waiting long). The Phillies got two more baserunners via a base hit and an error, but couldn’t plate any more runs.
Nola allowed a leadoff double to Miguel Rojas in the top of the second; the ball maddeningly snaked just up the third base line. An ensuing walk and base hit loaded the bases, with one out and Ohtani up next. A nightmare situation, but you wouldn’t know it from watching how it went down: Nola struck him out on four pitches, two of which left the game’s preeminent superstar swinging helplessly beneath the zone. The Dodgers left the inning scoreless.
Aaron Nola pretty much dominated the Dodgers in the final game of this series that saw the Phillies sweep L.A. - July 11, 2024
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