By BETH HARRIS, AP Sports Writer
SAN DIEGO (AP) — Aaron Nola and the Philadelphia Phillies were rolling this postseason.
The right-hander had a big lead Wednesday against the Padres, then let them back in the NL Championship Series.
His older brother was also right in the middle.
San Diego catcher Austin Nola hit an RBI single in a five-run fifth inning and the Padres rallied for an 8-5 win that tied the NL Championship Series at one game apiece.
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Aaron Nola made his playoff debut this year and went 2-0 without allowing an earned run in 12 2/3 innings as Philadelphia swept the NL wild-card round against St. Louis and stunned the defending champion. World Series Atlanta in the Division Series.
The surprising Phillies came to San Diego and shut out the Padres 2-0 in the NLCS opener on Tuesday behind starter Zack Wheeler and home runs by sluggers Bryce Harper and Kyle Schwarber, improving to 6-1 in their first postseason appearance. since 2011.
But then Philly blew an excellent chance to go home by winning 2-0 in the best-of-seven series.
Leading 4-0, the 29-year-old Nola allowed back-to-back solo homers to Brandon Drury and Josh Bell in the second inning.
“I closed the door for the next two innings and they hit me in the fifth,” Aaron Nola said. “They were hitting the fastball pretty good, a couple of missed spots.”
San Diego scored four more times off Nola while taking a 7-4 lead in the fifth and never let up.
“It happens. His stuff was still good,” teammate Rhys Hoskins said. “I’m sure he’s frustrated with how things turned out, but that doesn’t make us lose confidence in him going forward for sure.”
To add insult to injury, Austin Nola. After Aaron grounded him out in the second, the 32-year-old Austin singled in the fifth that put the Padres up 4-3.
“He threw his butt. I think he did an excellent job,” said Austin Nola. “We just put together good at-bats with him. That’s what you have to do with it.
Jurickson Profar followed with a single and Juan Soto with a double. Aaron Nola was retired after striking out Manny Machado, one of his six strikeouts in the game.
He allowed six runs and seven hits in 4 2/3 innings, taking the loss.
“It has been fantastic. I don’t think this bump will slow him down,” said Schwarber, who went 0-for-3 with an RBI and a walk. “We couldn’t pick it up.”
The Nola brothers became the first brothers to meet as a pitcher and hitter in the postseason, and only the sixth set of brothers to meet in the playoffs.
Aaron had made 203 starts, the most by a Phillies pitcher whose entire career was spent with the team, before making his postseason debut earlier this month against the Cardinals.
The series moves to Philadelphia for three games beginning Friday.
“It’s always nice when you can hit the road and you can break away,” Schwarber said. “We took away some of the home-court advantage.”
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