The Mets at one point had no hits against Aaron Nola. It was actually the second time this season the Mets began the game with no hits against Nola through four innings. If you recall, Nola’s best start of the season came against the Mets in Queens on May 14, when he threw a complete-game shutout and carried a perfect game into the sixth.

This one didn’t go as well. Once again, the big inning doomed Nola. He surrendered two three-run home runs in the fifth, one to No. 8 hitter Francisco Alvarez and the other to Brandon Nimmo. It’s the second straight start in which Nola has failed to get out of the fifth inning.

“I just got to eliminate the big inning,” Nola said. “Obviously the fifth inning was the big inning. It spiraled too much. … The fifth really got away from me. I’m just going to keep doing what I usually do and try to finish as best as I can and flush this one quick.”

A trend from last season is starting to reemerge with Nola. In his first two starts in September of 2023, Nola pitched 4 2/3 and 4 1/3 innings. His streak of starts without finishing five innings lasted one more game, but then Nola eventually got it together and turned in two good outings of at least six innings to close out the season against the Braves and Pirates.

His manager is confident that he’ll find that groove again.

“I have no concern,” Rob Thomson said postgame. “We’re not in. I’ve said that all along until we’re in, but I think his performance in October has shown he can bounce back.”

Nola’s season ERA is at 3.62.

The Phillies are 88-59. The lead in the NL East over the Mets is now at seven. The magic number to clinch the NL East remains at nine.