PHILADELPHIA — Aaron Nola came out firing. The right-hander’s first pitch on Saturday clocked in at 92.9 mph, harder than all but one of his pitches in his start last Sunday.
Nola continued to throw with a higher fastball velocity through the first few innings in the Phillies’ eventual 6-4 win over the Nationals. He reached 94.1 mph in the first inning with his four-seam fastball. He’d thrown only two pitches at least 94 mph all season.
Nola’s velocity would average 93 mph for the first three innings. It fell off some in the innings that followed, but stayed between 91 and 93.