Nola sizzles with 12 K’s, but Phils fall in G2

PHILADELPHIA – The Phillies need this version of Aaron Nola the rest of the season. He pitched brilliantly for six innings in Wednesday’s 3-1 loss to the Yankees in Game 2 of a seven-inning doubleheader at Citizens Bank Park. He struck out a career-high 12 batters, tying a mark he

PHILADELPHIA – The Phillies need this version of Aaron Nola the rest of the season.

He pitched brilliantly for six innings in Wednesday’s 3-1 loss to the Yankees in Game 2 of a seven-inning doubleheader at Citizens Bank Park. He struck out a career-high 12 batters, tying a mark he reached twice previously in his career. Seven of those strikeouts came on curveballs. He generated 19 swings and misses, tying the fourth-highest mark of his career. His swing-and-miss percentage (21.6 percent) was the second-best mark of his career.

• Wheeler-Realmuto duo fires on all cylinders in Game 1

Nola threw only 88 pitches, following a 12-day layoff because of COVID-19- and weather-related postponements.

Next time, if he is pitching like this, he will keep going. It seems pretty obvious, doesn’t it?

The Phillies will need every starter to step up because right now the bullpen looks like a major concern for a team that should be a postseason contender. Phillies right-hander Tommy Hunter started the top of the seventh inning of a tie game and allowed five consecutive batters to reach base — single by Giancarlo Stanton, single by Luke Voit, double by Mike Tauchman, Gary Sanchez hit by a pitch, single by Gio Urshela — to hand New York a two-run lead.

Todd Zolecki has covered the Phillies since 2003, and for MLB.com since 2009. Follow him on Twitter and Facebook .