PHILADELPHIA -- Maybe the Giants' 4-2 loss Tuesday night to the Phillies was a mere matter of timing, in which they were scheduled to visit Citizens Bank Park when Aaron Nola happened to throw one of the best games of his career.
Or, perhaps the Giants bore witness to something more imposing and electrifying: the legitimizing of a future All-Star, a peer who someday shall become peerless.
Nola dominated the Giants for seven innings, allowing one run and five hits. He struck out nearly half of the batters he faced -- 12 of 25 -- and retired at least one batter on strikes in every inning he worked but the seventh.