White Sox at Phillies
Aaron Nola has not lost in six weeks and the Philadelphia Phillies desperately need another strong effort from their ace right-hander when they resume a three-game series against the Chicago White Sox on Saturday night. The Phillies fell to 3-4 on their nine-game homestand after dropping a 4-3 decision in 15 innings in the series opener.
Center fielder Roman Quinn blasted a home run among three hits and swiped two bases before taking the loss with two innings of relief, becoming the third player since 1964 to homer, steal a base and pitch in the same game. Pitcher Vince Velasquez was forced to play left field and threw out a runner at the plate for the short-handed Phillies, who stranded 15 runners and fell one game behind Washington for the second wild card. Jose Abreu, mired in a 3-for-31 slump over the previous eight games, had a two-run homer before delivering the decisive RBI single in the 15th inning. Leury Garcia has hit safely in nine consecutive games, including multiple hits on five occasions for Chicago, which had lost eight of its previous nine.
TV: 7:05 p.m. ET, WGN (Chicago), NBCS Philadelphia
PITCHING MATCHUP: White Sox RH Ross Detwiler (1-1, 6.35 ERA) vs. Phillies RH Aaron Nola (9-2, 3.72)
Detwiler is moving back into the rotation after the White Sox demoted Dylan Covey to Triple-A Charlotte last weekend and will make his first start since lasting only 2 1/3 innings in a loss at Kansas City on July 18. He made a pair of relief appearances against Minnesota last weekend, allowing three runs and five hits while striking out five in five innings. Detwiler has yielded seven homers in 22 2/3 innings and owns a wretched 14.29 ERA in two appearances on the road.
Nola breezed through six scoreless innings versus Atlanta on Sunday before surrendering two seventh-inning home runs, but he still got the victory to improve to 3-1 with a 1.99 ERA over his last eight turns. The former first-round pick has permitted one earned run or less six times during that span, although he has been victimized for five homers in his last three outings. Ryan Goins has two doubles in three at-bats off Nola, who is 4-1 with a 3.21 ERA in 14 home starts.
WALK-OFFS
1. Phillies closer Hector Neris will serve the final game of his three-game suspension Saturday.
2. White Sox SS Tim Anderson had two hits Friday but also committed his major league-worst 18th error.
3. Phillies OF Corey Dickerson, acquired from Pittsburgh at the deadline, struck out as a pinch hitter Friday.