Mets Run Aaron Nola Off the Mound in the Fifth as Phillies Drop Series Opener to NL East Rival

Nola's Rough Start

Aaron Nola's outing on Monday night was one to forget. The Phillies' ace was roughed up by the Mets, allowing five runs on nine hits in just four and two-thirds innings.

Nola's struggles began in the first inning when he gave up a two-run homer to Francisco Lindor. The Mets would add another run in the second inning on a sacrifice fly by Pete Alonso.

Nola settled down a bit in the third and fourth innings, but he ran into trouble again in the fifth. The Mets loaded the bases with two singles and a walk, and Brandon Nimmo cleared them with a double to give the Mets a 5-1 lead.

Mets' Bullpen Shines

With Nola out of the game, the Mets' bullpen turned in a strong performance. Trevor Williams, Drew Smith, and Joely Rodriguez combined to allow just one hit over the final four and one-third innings.

Williams struck out four batters in two innings, while Smith and Rodriguez each pitched a scoreless inning.

Phillies' Offense Fails to Produce

The Phillies' offense was unable to provide any support for Nola. The team managed just five hits against Mets' starter Taijuan Walker and the bullpen.

The Phillies' only run came on a solo homer by Bryce Harper in the fourth inning.

Missed Opportunity

The loss was a missed opportunity for the Phillies, who are now 3.5 games behind the Mets in the NL East standings.

The Phillies will have a chance to even the series on Tuesday night when they send Zack Wheeler to the mound against Mets' starter Chris Bassitt.