Nola whiffs 10, wins 10th as Phils nip White Sox
Bryce Harper and Rhys Hoskins hit back-to-back home runs in the fourth inning, Aaron Nola pitched seven strong innings and the bullpen held on to lift the host Philadelphia Phillies to a 3-2 victory against the Chicago White Sox on Saturday night.
Nick Pivetta pitched a perfect eighth before navigating trouble in the ninth, including shortstop Jean Segura's throwing error to open the inning and Yolmer Sanchez's RBI single later in the frame. Pivetta recovered to strike out pinch hitter Adam Engel with the tying run at third to notch his first career save. Pivetta recorded four of his six outs via strikeout.
Chicago pitching limited the Phillies to four hits, but the early damage against White Sox lefty Ross Detwiler (1-2) proved to be enough.
The White Sox missed an opportunity to tie the game or take the lead in the seventh. With runners at second and third and one out, Sanchez attempted a squeeze bunt down the first base line, but Hoskins fielded the ball and alertly scooped it to catcher Andrew Knapp in time to retire Eloy Jimenez, who was sliding headfirst.
Nola (10-2) capped his night with a swinging strikeout of pinch hitter Matt Skole with the potential tying run at third. Nola struck out 10 while scattering one run, three hits and two walks.
Chicago opened the scoring in the fourth inning, as Jon Jay -- the lone player on both sides with a multi-hit game -- ripped an RBI double with two strikes and two outs to score Leury Garcia, who started the inning with a walk. The sequence marked the first series of blemishes against Nola, who retired the first nine hitters he faced without allowing a ball out of the infield.
Making his first start since July 18 after three successive relief appearances, Detwiler proved Nola's equal in the early going and punctuated the second inning with swinging strikeouts of Sean Rodriguez and Adam Haseley.
The other "Hs" in the Phillies lineup adjusted to Detwiler soon enough, as Harper and Hoskins drilled solo homers on successive pitches with two outs in the fourth.
Detwiler scattered three hits and two runs in 5 2/3 innings with a walk and six strikeouts. He fell one out short of matching his longest outing with the White Sox after the club selected his contract from Triple-A Charlotte on June 28.
Cesar Hernandez drove in the winning run on a fielder's choice groundout in the seventh.
--Field Level Media
