Aaron Nola has pitched well in his first two starts of 2016 (14 IP, 17 Ks, 0 BB, 3.21 ERA), but has no wins to show for it. His opponent on Saturday, Nationals starter Max Scherzer, has a higher ERA (4.21), fewer strikeouts (13) and more walks (five), but a 1-0 record.
Washington's run support for Scherzer also trumps that of what the Phillies have provided Nola. Through two starts each, Washington has scored 10 runs in two wins for their ace, while the Phillies have combined for half that in Nola's first two outings.
The two match up in the second of three games at Citizens Bank Park.
Things to know about this game
• In his first career start against the Nationals, Nola allowed the most home runs in a game he has in his brief Major League career: three, accounting for all six runs the right-hander surrendered in five innings, including a fifth-inning grand slam to Jayson Werth.
• Bryce Harper became the eighth-youngest player to hit 100 career home runs when he slugged his first career grand slam on Thursday. His 92nd was one of the three Washington hit off Nola last September.
• Nola's 14 innings with no walks ranks as the Phillies' sixth-longest such streak to begin a season. With 4 1/3 more innings without a walk Saturday, Nola would move to third, passing Kevin Gross (14 1/3 in 1982), Cliff Lee (16 2/3 in 2013) and Ken Raffensberger (18 in 1944).
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