PHILADELPHIA -- On a chilly Saturday afternoon at Citizens Bank Park, the Phillies just needed to practice patience and hope that at some point, a break would fall their way.
That break came in the sixth of the Phillies' 6-2 win, and no one benefitted more than starter Aaron Nola. The right-hander continued an 8-game stretch of performances where he allowed two earned runs or fewer, dating back to last season.
Despite a lead-off home run by Pirates second baseman Sean Rodriguez, Nola (2-1) was up to standard in against the Pirates, striking out nine batters on 103 pitches, 75 of which were strikes.