Final: Rays 1, Phillies 0
WP: Nathan Karns (5-5, 3.47 ERA) LP: Aaron Nola (0-1, 1.50 ERA) SV: Brad Boxberger (24)
Philadelphia, PA - For the first time since April 29, 2009, a game has ended 1-0 in which the only run scored by either side was a home run from a pitcher. This occurred in the top of the third inning, when Rays' starter Nathan Karns took Phillies' right hander Aaron Nola deep in his major league debut.
The Phillies were blanked for the 11th time this season, which is the second-most in baseball behind the San Diego Padres (13). Offensively tonight, they were 0-5 with runners in scoring position and six men were left on base. Their four-game winning streak was also snapped.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E | |
| Rays | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 1 |
| Phillies | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
Enter @NathanKarns into the #PitchersWhoRake conversation. pic.twitter.com/mmdHACcA6J
— Tampa Bay Rays (@RaysBaseball) July 22, 2015
Karns' solo blast was the first home run hit by an American League pitcher since Baltimore's Zach Britton on July 3, 2011 (Stark). In addition, this was the second home run ever hit by a Rays' pitcher. The first was hit by Esteban Yan on June 4, 2000 against the New York Mets (Goldich).
The Phillies had just two hits off of opposing pitcher Nathan Karns heading into the bottom of the fifth inning: a single by right fielder Domonic Brown in the second, and a double by shortstop Freddy Galvis in the third. With one out recorded in the inning, Nola picked-up his first-career hit, a single to center fielder Kevin Kiermaier. A lack-luster effort on the base paths from Phillies' center fielder Odubel Herrera, in the next at-bat, unfortunately ended the potential scoring threat.
Nola was pulled after throwing 88 pitches over six innings on the mound. His only run allowed was the home run surrendered to Karns in the top of the third. He allowed just five hits and one walk tonight to yield a respectable 1.000 WHIP ratio.
Nola Notes:
- Nola struck out six Rays batters, three of which were right fielder Steven Souza Jr.
- Since 1914, only six Phillies starters have struck out more batters than Nola in their respective major league debuts: Curt Simmons (9), Carlton Loewer (8), Charles Hudson, Lowell Palmer (8), Cole Hamels (7) and Rich Hunter (7) (Ryan Lawrence/@BoopStats).
- Nola is the first Phillies pitcher, in their debut, to finish with six innings on the mound since right hander Tyler Cloyd in August 2012 (Boyé).
- Tonight was the ninth time a Phillies starter this season allowed no more than one run and six base runners over six-plus innings (Seidman).
Nola will be the first PHI pitcher since at least 1914 to go 6+ IP with 1- R, 6+ K and 1- BB in his debut and not win. Eighth overall.
— Paul Boyé (@paul_boye) July 22, 2015
Right handers Luis Garcia and Jeanmar Gomez threw scoreless innings in relief of Nola in the top of the seventh and eighth respectively. Southpaw Jake Diekman took over in the ninth, after Gomez threw to one batter, and struck out two to keep the Phillies' deficit at one run.
Starting Pitchers
| IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO | HR | ERA | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nathan Karns | 5.0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 3.47 |
| Aaron Nola | 6.0 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 1 | 1.50 |
- Karns: W; 85 pitches, 54 strikes; 4 groundouts, 1 flyout; 19 faced batters
- Nola: L; 88 pitches, 59 strikes; 9 groundouts, 0 flyouts; 24 faced batters
Out of the 'Pen
Rays
- Steve Geltz (6th): 0.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 0 SO, 0 HR, 3.33 ERA
- Xavier Cedeno (6th): 0.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 SO, 0 HR, 2.66 ERA
- Jake McGee (7th): 1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 1 SO, 0 HR, 1.25 ERA
- Kevin Jepsen (8th): 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 SO, 0 HR, 2.95 ERA
- Brad Boxberger (9th): 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 SO, 0 HR, 3.11 ERA
Phillies
- Luis Garcia (7th): 1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 SO, 0 HR, 3.50 ERA
- Jeanmar Gomez* (8th, 9th): 1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 SO, 0 HR, 2.33 ERA
- Jake Diekman (9th): 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 SO, 0 HR, 5.05 ERA
* Gomez threw to one batter in the top of the ninth inning
At the Plate
Rays
- John Jaso: 2-4, 2B, .359 AVG
- Logan Forsythe: 1-3, BB, .280 AVG
- Nathan Karns: 1-2, R, HR, RBI, .250 AVG
Phillies
- Freddy Galvis: 1-4, 2B, .271 AVG
- Domonic Brown: 2-4, .212 AVG
- Aaron Nola: 1-2, .500 AVG
What's Next:
- Wednesday, July 22, 2015: vs. Tampa Bay Rays, 1:05 pm
- RHP Jake Odorizzi (5-6, 2.80 ERA) vs. LHP Adam Morgan (1-2, 3.91 ERA)
- TV: CSN; Radio: 94 WIP, 1210 WPHT, WTTM 1680 (Sp.)
Matt Rappa (@mattrappasports) is managing editor of Philliedelphia.com.
