Aaron Nola out-pitched by Gerrit Cole as Phillies lose to Yankees
NEW YORK — Aaron Nola was much sharper in his second start of the season but the Phillies managed little offense against Gerrit Cole and were held to two runs or fewer for the third time in four games.
Nola, who couldn’t hold a five-run lead in the Phils’ opening-day loss, did not allow much hard contact on a cold day at Yankee Stadium. Aaron Judge singled in the first inning, stole second and scored on Gleyber Torres’ broken-bat blooper to left field. Torres singled in another run with two outs in the sixth and catcher Jose Trevino homered off of Gregory Soto an inning later in a 4-2 Phillies loss.
The Phils had a chance to take a lead in the seventh inning after Cole’s day ended with a pitch-timer violation. On a full count to Nick Castellanos, Cole was called for the violation and Castellanos was given first base. Yankees manager Aaron Boone went to Jonathan Loaisiga, who loaded the bases on a Bryson Stott single and Alec Bohm hit by pitch. Jake Cave lined a sacrifice fly to deep left but a pinch-hitting Josh Harrison ended the inning with a groundout to third.
Harrison was sent up to hit for center fielder Cristian Pache, who stranded two runners two innings earlier and has had six ugly at-bats as a Phillie, stranding nine. One wonders how much longer Pache will be here — the Phillies clearly aren’t comfortable playing him for nine innings in a close game, even with the starting center fielder banged up. Brandon Marsh was in the initial lineup Wednesday but was scratched 30 minutes before first pitch with a left ankle sprain. He is day-to-day.
Edmundo Sosa, who entered the game midway through for an injured Darick Hall, was shifted to center after Pache’s exit.
Kyle Schwarber hit a solo homer in the eighth inning, his second in as many days, but that was as close as it got.
Nola broke two bats in the first two innings and none of the Yankees’ batted balls were hard until DJ LeMahieu doubled in the sixth. Nola seemed to do a good job of pitching inside against the Yankees’ right-handed-heavy lineup, jamming them and inducing a slew of weak popouts.
The Phillies had multiple baserunners in only one inning against Cole. Stott doubled in the second but was stranded with two outs. Trea Turner singled with two outs and the third and was promptly picked off. Hall singled to deep right with two outs in the fourth but was thrown out at second trying to stretch out a double. He sprained his right thumb on the slide at second base and was removed.
The Phillies are 1-5 after dropping their first two series. They are home Thursday for their first game of the year at Citizens Bank Park. The schedule does offer the Phillies a chance to get back on track with six straight home games against the Reds and Marlins, teams with much lesser rosters than the Yankees and Rangers.
Zack Wheeler opposes high-strikeout lefty Nick Lodolo in Thursday’s 3:05 p.m. home opener.
