Throughout the long 162-game grind of a season a team is bound to run into a pitcher who is nearly perfect. Cole Hamels was that guy on Tuesday night, leading the Phillies to a 3-0 win over the Braves.
Hamels did not allow a runner to reach scoring position all night. He scattered five hits over nine innings of work, striking out six and walking none.
Mike Minor struggled in the first inning, but he continued his strong work after that. He ended up tossing seven innings, allowing three runs to score on seven hits and two walks.
Jimmy Rollins doubled to leadoff the game, and he was driven in by a double from Domonic Brown. Chase Utley was retired harmlessly with the score 1-0, but a two-run homer to deep center field from Ryan Howard pushed the deficit to three runs.
No Atlanta hitter recorded more than one hit. They simply had no answer for Hamels, who was recently signed to a deal worth $140+ million.
The two clubs will meet in the series finale on Wednesday night.