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PHILADELPHIA (AP) -Two games in, these
Philadelphia Phillies
are playing like last year's team.
Jair Jurrjens
and four relievers combined on a six-hitter,
Kelly Johnson
and
Chipper Jones
hit solo homers and the
Atlanta Braves
beat the defending World Series champions 4-0 on Tuesday night.
The Phillies are off to an 0-2 start for the fourth straight year. They'll receive their 2008 championship rings Wednesday
before trying to avoid a three-game sweep.
''You always want to get off to a good start, but you can't repeat until you play 162 games,'' losing pitcher
Jamie Moyer
said.
Jurrjens (1-0) beat a guy twice his age. The 23-year-old right-hander gave up four hits and walked three in 5 2-3 impressive
innings.
Jeff Bennett
gave up a single to the only batter he faced before Eric O'Flaherty got the next four outs.
Rafael Soriano
pitched the eighth and
Mike Gonzalez
finished.
''We had excellent pitching,'' Braves manager
Bobby Cox
said. ''J.J. was really good. When he got in trouble, he pitched out of it.''
Moyer (0-1) allowed four runs and eight hits in five innings. The 46-year-old lefty led the Phillies with 16 wins and had
a 3.71 ERA last season, earning a $13 million, two-year contract despite his age.
Atlanta defeated Philadelphia 4-1 in the major league opener Sunday night behind
Derek Lowe
's masterful pitching and three homers off
Brett Myers
.
The Phillies' potent offense couldn't do much against Jurrjens or Atlanta's bullpen. Philadelphia left two runners on four
times and stranded 11 in all.
Chase Utley
and
Ryan Howard
each had two hits.
''We were swinging better,'' Phillies manager
Charlie Manuel
said. ''We were on him. We just missed a few pitches. The wind held a couple balls up. We couldn't get a two-out hit. If we
stay with it, we'll be OK. We're going to hit.''
Johnson hit Moyer's first pitch into the seats in right for his fourth career leadoff homer. One batter later, Jones doubled
off the wall in center.
Brian McCann
followed with a grounder that skipped under second baseman Utley's glove for an error, allowing Jones to score.
''I was ready to swing as soon as I went up there,'' Johnson said. ''You're trying to get a strike on your first pitch of
the year so I was ready.''
The Braves added a run in the fourth on Johnson's infield single with two outs. But Moyer escaped further damage when left
fielder
Raul Ibanez
nailed
Casey Kotchman
at home on a perfect, no-hop throw to catcher
Carlos Ruiz
.
Jones led off the fifth with a liner to the seats in left for a 4-0 lead.
The Phillies had two runners on with two outs in the sixth, but O'Flaherty retired pinch-hitter
Matt Stairs
on a deep fly to center.
''You take the positive of getting guys on,'' Howard said. ''We just have to take our time, stay loose and get those runners
in.''
Chan Ho Park
, who won the fifth starter's job in spring training, pitched a scoreless sixth in relief of Moyer. Park is scheduled to start
at Colorado on Sunday.
It was 45 degrees when the game started, so fans were bundled in heavy coats, hats, gloves and scarves. Some didn't show up,
even though the game was sold out.
Notes: Manuel juggled his lineup so three left-handed batters wouldn't bat 3-4-5.
Jayson Werth
dropped down from No. 2 to the fifth spot, Ibanez went from fifth to sixth and
Shane Victorino
moved up to the second spot. ... The Phillies were 14-4 against the Braves last season. ... RHP
Javier Vazquez
makes his Braves debut in the series finale against RHP
Joe Blanton
. ... Atlanta swept the Phillies in a three-game series on the road to start the 2007 season. ... Jurrjens went 13-10 with
a 3.68 ERA as a rookie last year.
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