Phillies' Aaron Nola Stops Nationals On Five Hits; David Price Blanks Indians In 7-0 Boston Win

Players of the Day for Thursday, August 23, 2018

American League

Price: 14-5

David Price needed just 101 pitches to blank the visiting Indians on three hits as the Red Sox earned a split in the four-game series with Cleveland. Price dueled with Cleveland starter, Adam Plutko. When the Sox scored five runs in the fifth inning, Price was able to relax and just mow down the opposition. He finished with seven strikeouts, no walks and his 14th win against a mere five losses as Boston won, 7-0.

The Red Sox lead the AL East by 9 1/2 over the Yankees and the Indians have no worries with a 12 game bulge over Minnesota in the Central division.

Boston heads to Tampa Bay on Friday for a weekend, three-game series with the Rays while the Indians continue their road trip with three games in Kansas City.

National League

Nola: 15-3

Trading away Daniel Murphy and Matt Adams earlier in the week, the Washington Nationals' front office signaled that they were throwing in the towel on the 2018 season. Despite the sentiment, the games still have to be played and the players are still going to put in their best efforts.

Such was the case as the Nats looked to sweep the Phillies, sending their ace, Max Scherzer, to the hill Thursday afternoon. Washington had won two straight and entered the game 7 1/2 off the pace being set by Atlanta in the NL East.

Scherzer pitched amazingly well, making just one mistake, giving up a seventh-inning, two-run home run to Odubel Herrera, one of just two hits allowed by Mad Max. Unfortunately, that one mistake was enough to produce a 2-0 win for the visiting Phillies, as Aaron Nola improved to 15-3 by blanking the Nationals over eight innings on five hits and one walk, fanning nine.

Nola won his third straight in as many starts, dropping his ERA to 2.13, tying him with Scherzer at second in the NL behind Jacob deGrom's 1.71. Nola is also second in the league in win. Scherzer leads with 16.

The Phillies ended a four game skid and head to Toronto for a three-game series with the Blue Jays, starting Friday.