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Aaron Nola’s arm, Jay Bruce’s bat get Phillies closer to first-place Braves | Extra Innings

Since joining the Phillies in a June 2 trade, Bruce has hit .272 with seven home runs and 22 RBIs.

Aaron Nola had another strong outing Tuesday night.
Aaron Nola had another strong outing Tuesday night.Read moreAndrea Smith / AP

The Atlanta Braves’ potent offense had a whole lot of nothing going on Tuesday night, and Aaron Nola deserved almost all the credit. The Braves were shut out for just the second time this season as the Phillies opened a vital three-game series at SunTrust Park with a 2-0 victory.

Nola, the ace of the Phillies staff a year ago, delivered his third straight strong performance, and this one was the best of them all. In eight scoreless innings, Nola surrendered just four hits, walked three and struck out eight. He threw a season-high 117 pitches.

“One of the better performances we’ve seen from him the last couple of years,” manager Gabe Kapler said. “Obviously going through that lineup more than three times is something. ... It’s really a pretty impressive feat. He seemed to get stronger as the outing went on.”

Jay Bruce’s two-run double off Dallas Keuchel in the fourth inning provided Nola with all the offensive support he needed. Closer Hector Neris, in his first appearance since blowing his second save of the season last week against the Mets, pitched a perfect ninth by striking out all three batters he faced.

The Phillies closed to within 4 1/2 games of the Braves, and Nick Pivetta will be on the mound Wednesday night as they attempt to win a third straight game. Atlanta lost consecutive games for the first time since June 5-6 at Pittsburgh. The Braves, 20-8 in June, have not lost three in a row since they dropped their final three games of May.

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Jay Bruce returns to lineup with another huge hit

After being out of the lineup in consecutive games because of a sore elbow, Phillies outfielder Jay Bruce returned Tuesday night in Atlanta and provided yet another big hit. This time, he jumped on a first-pitch, hanging slider from Atlanta lefty Dallas Keuchel and lined a two-run double into right field. His hit accounted for all the scoring.

“I was looking for something in the middle of the plate,” Bruce said. “I feel against a guy like that he’s going to be around the plate. He’s going to throw you strikes. The deeper you get into the at-bat, the more quality strikes you are going to get, so you can’t let a cookie go by.”

Since joining the Phillies in a June 2 trade that sent minor leaguer Jake Scheiner to Seattle, Bruce has hit .272 with seven home runs and 22 RBIs. The Phillies have gone just 12-14 since he has been here, but he has played a huge role in almost all those victories.

In its extended box scores, BaseballReference.com lists the top five plays of the game, and in the dozen wins, Bruce has contributed the top play four times. He has hit .359 (14-for-39) with five doubles, five home runs and 18 RBIs in the Phillies’ 12 wins since he joined the team.

The rundown

“It feels like we have our ace back,” Kapler said after Nola’s brilliant eight-inning performance Tuesday night in Atlanta. Our Scott Lauber tells you what Nola felt like while dominating one of the best lineups in the National League.

Odubel Herrera’s administrative leave was extended through at least Friday, and the Phillies’ outfielder was scheduled to make an appearance Wednesday morning in Atlantic City Municipal Court. Herrera is facing assault charges stemming from a Memorial Day incident involving his 20-year-old girlfriend at the Golden Nugget casino.

After weighing their options, the Phillies decided that right-hander Vince Velasquez will remain in the starting rotation and pitch Friday against the Mets in New York. After missing Jacob deGrom and Noah Syndergaard in their four-game sweep of New York last week in Philadelphia, the Phillies will see both this weekend at Citi Field. The Mets will send deGrom to the mound Friday, and Syndergaard will pitch Saturday.

Important dates

Tonight: Nick Pivetta on six days’ rest vs. Atlanta rookie Bryse Wilson, 7:20 p.m.

Tomorrow: Zach Eflin vs. Braves rookie all-star Mike Soroka, 7:20 p.m.

Friday: Vince Velasquez opens a three-game series at Citi Field vs. Jacob deGrom, 7:10 p.m.

Sunday: Aaron Nola pitches final game of the first half vs. Mets, 1:10 p.m.

Tuesday: All-Star Game in Cleveland, 7:30 p.m.

Stat of the day

The return of ace Aaron Nola to the form he flashed last season, when he finished third in the National League Cy Young Award voting, is vital to the Phillies’ playoff hopes, and he appears to be there right now.

In his last three outings, he has allowed just two runs (one earned) on 11 hits in 23 innings for a 0.39 ERA. He has walked just five and struck out 28 in those games. He credits better fastball command in those starts, but he has also had increased velocity. His average four-seam fastball Tuesday against Atlanta was 93.8 mph, which was up more than a mile per hour from his 92.7 average this season, according to the statcast numbers on baseballsavant.com.

From the mailbag

Send questions by email or on Twitter @brookob.

Question: I have always liked corner outfielder Nick Castellanos from the Tigers. He would add power to the Phillies line-up. Along with the Giants’ Madison Bumgarner and Will Smith, they would improve the Phillies down the stretch.

What do you think?

— Greg S., via email

Answer: I think that’s quite a wish list you have there, Greg. Santa Claus must have been good to you as a kid.

If general manager Matt Klentak can find a way to get all three, he will win executive of the year if the Phillies will win the NL East, but I fear he’d have to gut the farm system to do it. If I had to choose among the three players you listed, my first choice would be Bumgarner. I believe starting pitching remains this team’s biggest need.