PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio, 94WIP) — Pitcher Aaron Nola was praised as a Philadelphia Phillies playoff hero through the first two starts of his postseason career, tossing 12.2 innings without allowing an earned run to help Philadelphia reach the NLCS.
What a difference a pair of bad innings make, the main cause of the San Diego Padres’ 8-5 win over the Phillies in Game 2. The seven-game series is now tied 1-1.
Gifted a 4-0 lead in the second inning of Wednesday afternoon’s contest in San Diego, Nola collapsed and allowed six runs on seven hits in 4.2 innings, including back-to-back home runs to Brandon Drury and Josh Bell right after the Phillies built their early lead.
Nola gave up two runs in the second inning, and four runs in the fifth.
By Wednesday night, the lifelong Phillie was being compared to one of the most infamous playoff hiccups in franchise history.
It reminded some Phillies fans of Cliff Lee’s implosion in game two of the 2011 NLDS, when the lefty blew an early 4-0 lead against the Cardinals, finishing his day with 12 hits and five earned runs allowed through six innings of work.
The 102-win Phils went on to lose that series in five games, marking the end of the championship window with their core that won the title in 2008.
That loss by Lee led to the Cardinals tying the series, and Nola’s rough day resulted in an identical outcome.
Now, Phillies fans can only hope history doesn’t repeat itself as the series shifts to Philadelphia.
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Game 3 comes at 7:37 p.m. Friday night at Citizens Bank Park, with left-hander Ranger Suarez expected to start on the mound against the Padres’ Joe Musgrove.
Nola would be expected to start again in Game 6 of the series, scheduled for Tuesday in San Diego if it’s necessary.
The good news? The Phillies can still sweep San Diego in their three home games this weekend and clinch a berth in the 2022 World Series without having to play again in Petco Park.