Roy Halladay threw his first National League shutout — getting a couple of big assists from his defense — as the Philadelphia Phillies blanked the Atlanta Braves 2-0 on Wednesday.
Halladay (4-0), acquired in the offseason from Toronto, has lived up to the hype in his first four NL starts. He has worked 33 innings, allowing only three earned runs for an ERA of 0.82.
Raul Ibanez and Jayson Werth both hit RBI doubles against Braves starter Tim Hudson (1-1), but the win owed as much to a pair of brilliant defensive plays.
Philadelphia’s center fielder Shane Victorino stole away a likely homer from Troy Glaus with a leaping catch in the second, and second baseman Chase Utley made a diving stop on a shot up the middle to start an inning-ending double play with the bases loaded in the seventh.
Halladay pitched his 16th career shutout. Last season, he led the majors with a career-high four.
PADRES 5, GIANTS 2
In San Diego, the hosts won their sixth straight, downing San Francisco.
Jon Garland (1-2) held the slumping Giants to one run in seven strong innings.
Nick Hundley hit a two-run homer and Adrian Gonzalez added a solo homer for San Diego, which has won 10 of 12 against the Giants at Petco Park.
San Francisco’s Todd Wellemeyer (0-3) had another rough start as he allowed two runs over four innings.
In other NL action, it was:
• Cardinals 9, Diamondbacks 4
• Nationals 6, Rockies 4
• Brewers 8, Pirates 0
• Dodgers 14, Reds 6
• Astros 5, Marlins 4
• Cubs 9, Mets 3
AMERICAN LEAGUE
AP, OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA
New York Yankees pitcher Phil Hughes was on track for a no-hitter until the eighth inning, but had to be satisfied with a 3-1 win over the Oakland Athletics in the American League on Wednesday.
Hughes (2-0) struck out a career-high 10 in the Yankees’ sixth straight win. He was in complete control until Eric Chavez opened the eighth with a one-hopper that went back to the mound. The Yankees pitcher had little time to react and the ball struck his left hip. Hughes couldn’t find the ball in front of the mound as Chavez hustled for a single.
This was the second near-miss for the defending World Series champions in a couple of weeks. C.C. Sabathia held Tampa Bay hitless for 7 and 2/3 innings.
RAYS 12, WHITE SOX 0
In Chicago, Tampa Bay rookie Wade Davis outpitched a very imperfect Mark Buehrle as the Rays smashed Chicago.
Davis (1-1) struck out six in six scoreless innings. After giving up a bunt single to start the game and walking three of the next five batters, he settled down, didn’t walk anybody else and the only other hit he allowed was a single in the sixth.
Tampa Bay’s Sean Rodriguez homered and drove in four runs.
Buehrle (2-2) was facing the Rays for the first time since his perfect game against them last season. He allowed six runs in 4 2-3 innings as the White Sox lost for the fifth time in six games to fall into last place in the AL Central.
In other AL action, it was:
• Twins 6, Indians 0
• Tigers 4, Angels 3
• Royals 4, Blue Jays 3, 10 inns
• Red Sox 8, Rangers 7, 12 inns
• Mariners 4, Orioles 1
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