Nola Dominates Again, Helping Phillies Take Down Mets
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Aaron Nola held an opponent to two runs or fewer for his 10th straight start, Freddy Galvis had a go-ahead single during a fifth-inning rally and the Philadelphia Phillies beat the veteran-shedding New York Mets 3-1 on Saturday night.
Nola (9-7) gave up one run and two hits in seven innings with eight strikeouts and two walks. He is 6-2 with a 1.71 ERA in his last 10 starts and is the only Phillies pitcher since 1900 to have 10 straight starts of at least six innings while allowing two runs or fewer, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.
Cesar Hernandez and Tommy Joseph also had RBIs for the Phillies, who won despite just five hits. Odubel Herrera extended his career-best hitting streak to 15 games with an eighth-inning single.
New York lost at Philadelphia for the first time in six games this season. Yoenis Cespedes hit his 10th homer in 18 games at Philadelphia, which put the Mets ahead in the fourth.
Having already traded Jay Bruce, Lucas Duda and Addison Reed, the Mets appeared on the verge of dealing Neil Walker. The infielder was scratched from New York's lineup and left the ballpark in the sixth inning. He declined to talk about a possible trade to Milwaukee, saying no deal was official.
Steven Matz (2-6) dropped to 0-5 in his last eight starts, but inproved over recent outings by allowing two runs and four hits in 5 2/3 innings. Matz is 0-5 with a 9.51 ERA in his last seven appearances.
Matz held the Phillies hitless until Nick Williams' leadoff infield single in the fifth. Maikel Franco singled, Nola sacrificed, and singles by Hernandez and Galvis put the Phillies ahead 2-1.
Ricardo Pinto struck out Cespedes on a 98 mph to strand two runners in the eighth, and Tommy Joseph hit a sacrifice fly against Erik Goeddel in the bottom half.
Luis Garcia came on with one on and one out in the ninth and earned his second save in his fifth tries by striking out pinch-hitter Wilmer Flores and retiring Travis d'Arnaud on a groundout.
LATE START
The game was delayed 33 minutes due to an on-field pregame ceremony in which the Phillies honored players inducted into of their Wall of Fame while paying tribute to deceased members Jim Bunning, Darren Daulton and Dallas Green.
SCUFFLING
Philadelphia's Rhys Hoskins went 0 for 4 with a strikeout and is hitless in 10 at-bats with four strikeouts since he was brought up from Triple-A Lehigh Valley.
WEB GEM
Mets rookie SS Amed Rosario made a jump throw from just in front of the outfield grass to throw out Hoskins on a fourth-inning grounder.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Mets: RHP Matt Harvey threw 18 pitches in an inning for Class A Brooklyn in his first rehab start since going on the DL on June 15 with a stress injury in his right shoulder. Harvey allowed a run one hit. ... RHP Jacob deGrom (bruised triceps) is on schedule to make his next start after a bullpen session on Saturday. DeGrom was hit on the right arm above the elbow on Nick Williams' liner Thursday.
Phillies: Williams was plunked on the right hand by a Matz fastball in the sixth inning but stayed in the game.
UP NEXT
Mets: RHP Chris Flexen (1-1, 8.49) is to start for Mets on Sunday after beating Texas for his first big league win. Phillies starter RHP Zach Eflin (1-3) is coming off his first major league win this season, 5-2 over Atlanta on Tuesday.
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