Aaron Nola surrenders two homers as the Phillies fall to the Nationals, 5-1

Lochlahn March, The Philadelphia Inquirer on Mar 30, 2025

Published in Baseball

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WASHINGTON — The 30 home runs Aaron Nola allowed in 2024 were the fifth-highest total in baseball.

He didn’t get off to the best start in limiting the long ball in his first appearance of 2025, giving up a pair of costly ones in the 5-1 loss to the Nationals on Sunday. All five runs the Nationals scored came on homers given up by Nola.

Meanwhile, the Phillies offense gave him zero run support, only scratching across a single run in the top of the ninth. The Phillies left 10 on base and were 0 for 9 with runners in scoring position.

Nola’s outing started off strong. He cruised through the first three innings, striking out five along the way, but the Nationals pounced on him in the fourth. He induced two quick outs to start the frame, but then hit Keibert Ruiz with a cutter that missed down and in.

Ruiz was only the Nationals’ second baserunner of the day, but they quickly put another aboard with a single from Nathaniel Lowe. Josh Bell just needed one pitch, a four-seam fastball Nola left up in the zone, to give Washington a 3-0 lead.

Two innings later, Lowe also connected on Nola’s four-seam for a two-run home run, knocking him out of the game after 5 1/3 innings. He allowed six hits and struck out eight, walking zero.

With J.T. Realmuto (left foot) and Trea Turner (back spasms) sitting out Sunday to receive treatment and Max Kepler taking the day off, the Phillies didn’t muster a single extra-base hit.

That didn’t mean that they didn’t have opportunities to score, scattering eight singles and drawing four walks. The Phillies loaded the bases in the seventh, but Alec Bohm grounded into a double play to end the inning.

The Phillies spoiled the Nationals’ shutout after loading the bases again in the ninth. Edmundo Sosa scored on a fielder’s choice, but Kyle Schwarber struck out and Bohm lined out to end the game.