Phillies Shut Out, Sweep Braves, NL East Magic Number is 4 Games
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The Phillies’ bats were silent for seven innings as Roy Oswalt battled with Atlanta’s Tommy Hanson in a deadlock of zeros. However, in the eighth inning with a runner on first with 2 out, leftfielder Raul Ibanez lined a slicing double to the leftfield corner off of Braves reliever Jonny Venters to drive in the only run of the game as rightfielder Jayson Werth, who walked, scored from 1st base. Oswalt pitched seven innings and combined with reliever Ryan Madson and closer Brad Lidge to toss a 1 hitter. Oswalt, who outdid both Cole Hamels and Roy Halladay, got a no-decision for his trouble as Madson was credited with the win after tossing a scoreless eighth. Lidge notched his 26th save in 31 opportunities as the Phillies shut out and swept the Braves by a 1-0 score to lead NL East by 6 games, with the Magic number to clinch the division at 4 games.
The Phils extended their 1st place lead in the NL East to 6 games over the Braves. Meanwhile, the Braves lead in the NL wildcard race dropped to 1/2 game over the San Diego Padres, but increased to 3 1/2 games over the Colorado Rockies.
The AP game recap for Yahoo provides the highlights:
Cole Hamels and Roy Halladay delivered in the first two games. Oswalt pitched even better, though he didn’t get the win.
“I didn’t want them to do something I couldn’t do,” Oswalt said. “I’m trying to push them as much as possible and they’re doing that off me. Anytime you feed off each other, it helps down the stretch.”
Braves starter Tommy Hanson tossed six scoreless innings, giving up two hits and three walks.
Hanson didn’t allow a hit until one out in the fifth when Carlos Ruiz lined a double that [Nate] McLouth slid past. Hanson struck out Shane Victorino looking at a fastball down the middle to end the inning and strand runners at second and third.
Jonny Venters (4-3) hit Chase Utley with a pitch to start Philadelphia’s eighth. After Ryan Howard grounded into a double play, Jayson Werth walked.
Ibanez then hit an opposite-field drive that sliced into the left-field corner. Left fielder Nate McLouth overthrew the relay man and Werth slid home safely for a 1-0 lead. Philadelphia won with only four hits.
The Phillies are 44-15 since July 21, when they trailed the Braves by seven games. They are 18-3 in September.
Oswalt is 7-1 with a 1.76 ERA in 11 starts since joining the Phillies. They’re 10-1 in those games. He retired the first 11 batters before [Martin] Prado lined a double in the fourth.
To view the scores of all Wednesday’s and Thursday’s games, click here and here.
The Phils next begin a 3 game series on Friday with the Mets. In Friday’s opener, Joe Blanton opposes knuckleballer R.A. Dickey. On Saturday, Kyle Kendrick goes against 24 year old rookie Dillon Gee for the Mets.
To view the schedule of all Friday’s and Saturday’s games, click here and here.
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