Shane Victorino's catch in center field off the bat of Troy Glaus saved a run and Roy Halliday's shutout.
photo by Tim Evearitt
ATLANTA -- Roy Halladay pitched his second complete game and first shutout of the season leading his club to a 2-0 win over the Braves at Turner Field on Wednesday night. He now 16 career shutouts.
Halladay did not allow Jason Heyward, nor any other Brave, an opportunity to produce yet another dramatic ninth inning.
Manager Bobby Cox said of Halladay, "He is very good, and what you saw tonight is basically what he does every start. He's really a machine."
Halladay limited the Braves to just five hits -- two by Chipper Jones who raised his average to .270.
The former Blue Jay hurler gave a lot of credit to his defense. "A lot of great plays -- a big help," said Halladay.
Shane Victorino made a leaping catch in center field to prevent a solo home run by Troy Glaus. Of the play, Cox said, "It was out of the park and he caught it."
Atlanta found its offense handcuffed for the second time in five days. While Halladay didn't match the no-hitter Ubaldo Jimenez fashioned in Atlanta on Saturday, he proved just as impressive holding the Braves hitless until Jones's two-out fourth inning double.
Halladay was given a two-run lead with the help of the two doubles Jayson Werth delivered against Tim Hudson.
After Brian McCann singled and Troy Glaus struck out, Halladay issued a walk -- his first in 25 innings -- to Heyward to load the bases with just one out in the seventh. Yunel Escobar followed with a sharp grounder that was fielded by a diving Chase Utley, who flipped to shortstop Juan Castro. and on to first for an inning-ending double play.
Asked about the walk he issued to Heyward, Halladay said he was being cautious with Heyward because he really doesn't know him. "My goal," he added, "is not to cause problems for myself."
Halladay, who had tossed seven scoreless innings while making his only previous start against the Braves last year, gained an early lead when Werth began the second inning with a double and scored when Raul Ibanez bounced a ground-rule double over the right-center-field wall.
Phillies manager Charlies Manuel said of his ace, "He doesn't give up many hits. He's around the plate. He don't mess around." He added, "Finishing games is all about a low pitch count in the first three or four innings."
Hudson, who was charged with two runs and six hits in six innings, limited Ryan Howard to a check-swing single that beat a defensive shift and landed in shallow left field.
Cox was clearly pleased with Hudson's performance, saying, "His velocity was way up tonight." Cox also had high praise for reliever Jonny Venters.
Considering the Braves were facing the the first-place Phillies and considering two stellar pitchers were facing each other, attendance was a disappointing 21,171.
Before taking to the road where they will play 16 of their next 19 games, Atlanta will try to take the series from Philadelphia. Derek Lowe, who usually gets a big run production from his offense, will face Jamie Moyer in Thursday night action.
Roy Halladay was the 2003 American League Cy Young winner.
photo by Tim Evearitt