Although Anthony Rizzo's three-run blast in the eighth off reliever Will Smith handed Nelson a tough-luck no-decision, he was satisfied with both the performance and his recent run of success.
"It was nice to string together some good outings and be more consistent," Nelson said. "I was able to get ahead, for the most part. Times when I went 1-0, I was able to make a quality pitch."
The trade overshadowed much of what happened on the field.