KANSAS CITY -- Aaron Nola allowed two runs in the first inning of Sunday’s 5-2 loss to the Royals at Kauffman Stadium, and it looked like it might be another one of those days for him.
A couple hours later, however, Nola not only began the seventh inning in a game for the first time since April 3, but he completed his first start of seven or more innings since Sept. 26, 2025. It was a welcomed sight for Nola and the Phillies, who are desperate for quality from their Nos. 4 and 5 starters.
“It’s obviously important that that start turns into a game that you feel like you're in, you're not scrambling the whole day,” Phillies interim manager Don Mattingly said. “He doesn't necessarily have to pitch seven, but according to the game go five, six, seven, whatever it is, then it gives us a much better shot to be able to put some runs up.”
Nola allowed seven hits, three runs and struck out seven in seven innings. He got 19 swings and misses, including 11 on his curveball.
“Going to be aware of the big curveball he throws a lot,” Royals center fielder Lane Thomas said. “To righties, if you get into a full count or 2-2 count, he throws the fastball away. I think he’s probably struck me out a lot on that. So I kind of was looking for that pitch when I got to two strikes in that first at-bat, which he threw. So it worked out. And then he threw some good pitches in my next two at-bats. It was good to get a few off him. He’s a really good pitcher. It’s easy to let a guy like that settle in after you get a few, and he ends up pitching well the rest of the game.”
Nola retired the side in the sixth. It wouldn’t have been a surprise to see his start end there.
“It’s been a while since I threw seven,” Nola said.
Nola had not completed six innings since May 26 in San Diego, when he tossed six against the Padres. He had a 6.67 ERA in six starts in June, including a start last week against the Pirates in Philadelphia in which he allowed eight runs in just 4 1/3 innings. It gave him a 6.04 ERA for the season, and a 6.02 ERA for the past two seasons.
But Nola popped out of the dugout to start the seventh.
“Just the way he was pitching and the pitch count was still good,” Mattingly said. “We’re still in a ‘down’ game, where you’re not going to use your main [bullpen] guys. I felt like he was throwing the ball as good as anybody.”
Nola had thrown only six pitches in the seventh inning all season. He struck out the side on 15 pitches on Sunday.
“Noles was good,” Mattingly said. “It was good to see that. After the first obviously, he kind of had them off balance all day long.”