Nola takes no-no into 7th, Phils top Jays and lead NL East
PHILADELPHIA — Another stellar performance from their ace and a big homer from their best pinch-hitter have lifted the Philadelphia Phillies to heights they haven’t reached in seven years.
Aaron Nola took a no-hitter into the seventh inning, Nick Williams hit his third pinch-hit homer of the year in the eighth and the Phillies moved into first in the NL East Saturday with a 2-1 win over the Toronto Blue Jays.
“It’s pretty cool,” Nola said. “It’s the first time I’ve been in first place since I’ve been up. We still have to go play baseball. We got some good teams coming up.”
Nola did not allow a hit until Russell Martin’s RBI single to left in the seventh, which tied the game at 1. After cruising through the first six innings, Nola came back out to work the seventh after a 13-minute rain delay — the second short delay of the game — and walked Justin Smoak and Yangervis Solarte before Martin came through, ending the right-hander’s day.