Washington @ Philadelphia preview
Citizens Bank Park
Last Meeting ( Aug 9, 2023 ) Washington 0, Philadelphia 7
Michael Lorenzen threw the 14th no-hitter in Philadelphia Phillies history on Wednesday.
The next goal for the Phillies is to keep their positive momentum rolling with a series victory over the Washington Nationals on Thursday.
Lorenzen threw a career-high 124 pitches, struck out five and walked four in the Phillies' 7-0 win. It was their first no-hitter since Cole Hamels accomplished the feat on July 25, 2015, on the road against the Chicago Cubs.
"It was incredible. Walking out for the seventh, eighth and ninth, man, these fans. I've never been part of an organization where fans are a part of the team," Lorenzen said. "And they gave me that boost that I needed. ... If you are feeling fatigued, you don't feel it at all in front of these fans."
Aaron Nola (9-8, 4.58 ERA) is scheduled to start Thursday as the Phillies look to take three of four in the series.
Nola struggled some in his last start against the Kansas City Royals, as he allowed eight hits and five runs in 5 1/3 innings in a 7-5 loss last Friday.
Nola is 7-8 with a 3.94 ERA in 28 career starts against the Nationals.
Nick Castellanos hit two home runs to reach 200 for his career and also drove in three runs in the win Wednesday.
"Right now, he's really swinging the bat well," Phillies manager Rob Thomson said of Castellanos. "He's staying back and using the entire field."
Weston Wilson also ripped his first career major league homer -- in his first career at-bat -- along with two walks and three runs Wednesday.
Wilson had 2,836 plate appearances over seven minor league seasons before Wednesday. He looked comfortable both offensively and defensively in Citizens Bank Park.
"He looked like he was playing in his backyard," Thomson said of Wilson.
"I didn't feel my legs," Wilson added of rounding the bases after homering.
After splitting a doubleheader Tuesday, the Nationals managed four walks -- two by Joey Meneses and two by Keibert Ruiz -- in the no-hit loss. The Nationals hadn't been no-hit since moving to Washington in 2005. The last no-hitter against them -- when they were the Montreal Expos -- actually was a perfect game by the New York Yankees' David Cone in 1999.
"It was his day today," Washington manager Dave Martinez said of Lorenzen. "He threw strikes, threw the ball over the plate."
Washington still will have a chance to manage a split of the four-game series on Thursday.
"It's only one game," Martinez said. "Come back tomorrow and go 1-0."
Left-hander Patrick Corbin (7-11, 5.03) is expected to start for the Nationals.
In Corbin's last start, against the Cincinnati Reds on Friday, he gave up four hits and three runs in 6 1/3 innings of a game the Nationals won 6-3 in 10 innings.
Corbin is 6-9 with a 4.96 ERA in 19 career starts against the Phillies.
Martinez said that the Nationals plan on using a six-man rotation the rest of the regular season so the bullpen could be utilized if a starter such as Corbin struggles in the early innings.
"I don't want to put a number on them yet," Martinez said. "I just want them to go out and compete and pitch. Then when we feel like it's time, then we'll have a conversation with multiple guys. But yeah, I don't want to just sit here and put a number on them."
--Field Level Media