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<br>MIAMI Aaron Nola entered his 29th start of the season riding a strong wave of form. Over his previous four outings, all of which resulted in wins for the Phillies, Nola had posted an impressive 1. 44 ERA, with 24 strikeouts and just six walks. However, his hot streak came to an end on Saturday afternoon, as he was hit early and often in a 9-5 loss to the Marlins at loanDepot park. The performance marked Nolas shortest start since June 13, when he lasted just 3 2/3 innings against the Red Sox.
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<br>The cause of Nola's struggles was his lack of command right from the start. In the first inning, Nola made a mistake by leaving a sinkerwhat he called a "side-step sinker"down the middle of the plate to Connor Norby, who quickly turned it into a two-run homer. By the time Nola reached 101 pitches, he had allowed five runs on nine hits, two walks, and had struck out five batters.
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<br>Nola explained his performance: "I felt a little out of sync
https://www.philliesplayerfanstore.com/garrett_stubbs_jersey-194. I threw too many balls, and when I did get them over the plate, they put good swings on them. A couple of home runs and walks it sucks when you dont finish five innings, and the bullpen has to pick up the slack. "
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<br>Nolas pitching approach had been altered somewhat, as he relied more heavily on his four-seam fastball and knuckle curve, using those pitches more than usual. His four-seam fastball made up 37% of his offerings against the Marlins, and he used the knuckle curve 3. 1 percentage points more than normal. As a result, Nola avoided using his sinker and changeup, the latter of which he has struggled with all season.
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<br>Those pitches have been feeling good lately, but the changeup hasnt been feeling right all year, Nola admitted. It would have been nice to rely on it, but I threw a few and just didnt feel comfortable. It made it harder to pitch with just two solid pitches.
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<br>Catcher Garrett Stubbs agreed, commenting that the curveball was effective but that the fastballs werent located well. The curveball was pretty good. There wasnt a lot of hard contact off it, but we missed our spots with the fastballs, which led to ground balls that just found holes.
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<br>Although Nola struggled on the mound, Stubbs contributed offensively by utilizing an often-overlooked strategy: bunting. In his first two plate appearances, Stubbs laid down successful bunts, reaching base both times. His first bunt in the third inning turned into what could be considered a "Little League triple," as he hustled around the bases and scored on a sacrifice fly by Kyle Schwarber. Later, in the fifth, Stubbs dropped another bunt down the third-base line for an RBI single.
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<br>I just try to put it where they arent standing and then run as fast as I can, Stubbs said. Its something I practice a lot, especially because hitting can be tough when youre only playing every five days. Timing is everything, and bunting is a way I can help contribute to the team.
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<br>Stubbs also made a key defensive play, catching a popup in foul territory to end a tough fifth inning. The catch, which narrowly avoided a collision with first baseman Bryce Harper, helped prevent further damage from the Marlins. However, by then, the damage had already been done, and Nolas struggles were too much to overcome.
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<br>Marlins manager Skip Schumaker acknowledged Nolas talent but pointed out that even the best players can have off days. "Theyre human, and you have to remember that," Schumaker said. "No matter how good a pitcher is, sometimes youre going to get to them
https://www.philliesplayerfanstore.com/bryce_harper_jersey-118. Nolas a really good pitcher, but we were able to get to him today. "
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Apr 24, 2025; 7:21am
