Two experienced starting pitchers who haven’t won a game in more than a month will be on the mound Wednesday night when the Atlanta Braves host the Philadelphia Phillies in the second contest of their three-game series.
Philadelphia right-hander Aaron Nola (11-6, 3.45 ERA) will face Atlanta left-hander Max Fried (7-7, 3.62). Nola hasn’t won since July 11, and Fried hasn’t recorded a victory since June 23.
The Braves opened the series with a 3-1 win Tuesday and cut Philadelphia’s lead to six games in the National League East. Atlanta is 5-2 against the Phillies this season and leads the New York Mets by 2 1/2 games for the NL’s final wild-card spot.
Nola didn’t receive a decision in his last outing Friday when he threw 6 2/3 scoreless innings in his team’s 3-2 win over the Washington Nationals.
Nola has made 35 career starts against Atlanta — the most against any opponent — and owns a 16-11 record with a 3.61 ERA. He has started twice this season against the Braves, losing to them on March 30 after allowing seven runs in 4 1/3 innings, and beating them on July 5 after yielding three runs in six strong innings.
Fried has lost his last four decisions. In three starts since returning from the injured list with left forearm soreness, he has allowed 13 runs in 13 2/3 innings.
In his most recent outing Thursday against San Francisco, Fried allowed three runs in 5 1/3 innings with five strikeouts and three walks in a 6-0 defeat. He has walked three or more in his last four starts.
“You could tell when he came out, he was on a mission,” Braves manager Brian Snitker said. “He was going to give the bullpen a break — and he did. He was efficient. Very, very competitive guy with really good stuff. He’s a tough ride.”
Fried has made 21 career appearances (15 starts) against Philadelphia, going 4-5 with a 4.17 ERA. He did not get a decision on March 30 when he allowed three runs in two-thirds of an inning, and he lost on July 5 when he allowed five runs on 11 hits in six innings.
Philadelphia’s Alec Bohm has reached base safely in 36 consecutive games. It is the longest active streak in the major leagues and the longest by a Phillies infielder since Jimmy Rollins had a 36-game streak in 2005.
But the top of the Philadelphia order struggled on Tuesday. Kyle Schwarber, Trea Turner and Bryce Harper combined to go 0-for-12 with seven strikeouts.
“It makes it difficult,” Philadelphia manager Rob Thomson said after Tuesday’s game. “You know they’re going to hit at some point. We’ll just come back out and strap it on and get back after it.”
The Braves won their first game without third baseman Austin Riley, who will be out six to eight weeks with a fractured right wrist. Atlanta signed veteran Gio Urshela off waivers and put him in the starting lineup. Urshela was 0-for-3 in his debut but drew a bases-loaded walk in the eighth to push across an insurance run.
Atlanta’s Marcell Ozuna, who homered in the series opener, continues his quest to become the first National League player to win the Triple Crown since Joe Medwick of the St. Louis Cardinals in 1937. Ozuna leads the league in batting average (.309) and RBIs (94) and is second with 37 home runs.
–Field Level Media