By Sam Bush
Phils ace Zack Wheeler had a rough offseason.
Shoulder soreness last December.
Flu in spring training.
So, Aaron Nola got the opening day start, which usually goes to the No. 1.
He finally got his shot last night in the Phils fifth game, and he had a shaky first inning, hitting a pair of batters and walking another in 27 pitches
He escaped without any runs after striking out Robinson Cano with the bases loaded.
The 2021 NL Cy Young runner-up settled in after the first, allowing only Pete Alonso’s fourth-inning single while retiring 11 of 12 batters before Brandon Nimmo’s two-out homer to right in the fifth.
Signed as a free agent in December 2019 after five seasons with the Mets, the right-hander has a 2.59 ERA in nine starts against New York.
He surrendered just that lone run on two hits with three strikeouts and a walk in 4 2/3.
