⚾ Aaron Nola Flirts With Perfection as Phillies Top Twins
PHILADELPHIA — Friday night at Citizens Bank Park was one to remember for Phillies fans. ⭐ Aaron Nola looked like vintage Nola, taking a perfect game into the sixth inning and striking out nine in a 3-1 victory over the Minnesota Twins.
🔥 Nola Back in Form
Nola (5-10) gave the Phillies exactly what they needed: 8 innings, 2 hits, 0 walks, 9 strikeouts. He even climbed the franchise strikeout leaderboard, moving past Hall of Famer Robin Roberts into second place with 1,872 strikeouts, trailing only the legendary Steve Carlton. 🐐
The lone blemish? A Christian Vázquez solo homer in the sixth that ended perfection. Still, Nola’s performance showed he can be a weapon in October — even if Phillies manager Rob Thomson hinted his role might come from the bullpen for the NLDS. 👀
💣 Philly Bats Do Just Enough
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Alec Bohm got things rolling with a sac fly in the first.
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Edmundo Sosa (coming off a historic 3-HR night on Wednesday) stayed hot with another homer in the fifth. 💥
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Brandon Marsh added insurance with an RBI double in the sixth.
🗝️ Key Moment
With two runners aboard in the ninth, Minnesota threatened a comeback — but Jhoan Duran shut the door, earning his 32nd save of the season. 🔒
📊 Key Stat & A Special Celebration
The Phillies also honored a true baseball treasure: Bobby Shantz’s 100th birthday 🎂🎉. The 1952 AL MVP and former Philadelphia Athletic is now the oldest living Phillie, the oldest living All-Star, and the second-oldest living MLB player.
⏭️ What’s Next
The Phillies, already NL East champions 🏆, continue tuning up for the postseason with eyes locked on October baseball.
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