Nola continues resurgence with 7-inning gem to extend Phils' win streak to six

PHILADELPHIA -- The Phillies went outside of the organization on Wednesday for some pitching help in former All-Star left-hander Nestor Cortes.

However, surging stalwart Aaron Nola showed later in the day that Philadelphia might already have their much-needed rotation piece.

Nola struck out eight in seven strong innings to help the Phillies complete a three-game home sweep of the Marlins with a 4-1 victory at Citizens Bank Park. Philadelphia pushed its winning streak to a season-best six consecutive contests while reaching 12 games over .500 for the first time this season.

And Nola was a huge reason why. The 33-year-old right-hander lowered his ERA to 2.51 in his last five starts while once again featuring a lights-out knuckle curve. After matching his season-best with nine strikeouts, eight of which came on a knuckle curve, in his last start on Aug. 13 at the Field of Dreams, Nola fanned seven Marlins with the knuckle curve.

He has 34 strikeouts in 28 2/3 innings over his recent hot stretch, looking more and more like the dominant pitcher who is one of just 94 in big-league history to reach 2,000 career strikeouts and just one of 31 to do it with a single club.

Nola, whom Philadelphia picked No. 7 overall in 2014, also tied Cole Hamels for sixth place on the club’s all-time wins list with career victory No. 114. Most importantly, he is starting to show the Phillies that he can be a dependable arm down the stretch, along with the big three of Zack Wheeler, Cristopher Sánchez, and Jesús Luzardo.

Philadelphia has struggled mightily to win games with Nola, the No. 4 starter, and the fifth starter (currently Andrew Painter) all season. The Phillies, who began Wednesday 5 1/2 games back of the first-place Braves in the National League East and with a three-game cushion for the second NL Wild Card spot, improved to just 19-37 in games where neither of their top three arms started.

Interim manager Don Mattingly was asked beforehand if the Phillies could hypothetically employ a six-man rotation. That might not be needed if Nola keeps pitching like this. Javier Sanoja’s leadoff homer in the sixth, one of just five hits he allowed, was the only blemish on Nola’s night. The long ball remains an Achilles’ heel for Nola, who has allowed a home run in eight straight games and a total of 31 in 137 innings this season.

But one solo homer was not enough to spoil his night. Nola, who improved to 5-9 while lowering his ERA to 5.12, got a loud ovation from the appreciative crowd of 37,031 when exiting following the seventh after matching his season high for innings pitched.

Nola also got more than enough support.

The Phillies took the lead in the second on Garrett Stubbs’ bases-loaded infield single. They scored two more off Marlins starter Sandy Alcantara an inning later on Luis Arraez’s two-run shot that also scored Bryce Harper, who extended his on-base streak to 23 straight games with a walk. Trea Turner’s RBI double in the seventh gave them a three-run cushion.