by Bob Herpen
The Phanatic Magazine
Making his postseason debut after 13 seasons and 320 starts, Roy Halladay turned in the second no-hitter in playoff history as the Philadelphia Phillies took a 4-0 decision over Cincinnati in Game 1 of the National League Division Series from Citizens Bank Park.
Halladay (1-0) began the ninth by retiring Ramon Hernandez on a fly to second base. Pinch-hitter Miguel Cairo was set down on a foul pop behind third, then Brandon Phillips hit a weak grounder to the right of home plate. Catcher Carlos Ruiz threw to first baseman Ryan Howard, and the gem was complete.
It was the first playoff no-hitter since Don Larsen of the New York Yankees hurled a perfect game against the Brooklyn Dodgers in Game 5 of the 1956 World Series.
The 33-year-old threw 104 pitches, 79 for strikes, and his only blemish in the contest was a two-out walk to Jay Bruce in the fifth inning. He struck out eight and also drove in a run with a single to cap his finest performance since tossing a perfect game at Florida on May 29.
Shane Victorino finished 2-for-4 with a double, two RBI and a run scored for the Phillies, who are embarking on a franchise-record fourth consecutive playoff run. Chase Utley added a sacrifice fly RBI in the first inning for the two-time defending National League champions, who will look to take a
commanding lead in this best-of-five series Friday in Game 2. Philadelphia's Roy Oswalt is set to be opposed by the Reds' Bronson Arroyo.
Edinson Volquez's (0-1) first postseason experience lasted just 1 2/3 innings, during which he was charged with four hits, four runs and a pair of walks. Cincinnati is making its first playoff appearance since winning the NL Central in 1995.
The NL East champions gave Halladay all the offense he needed in their first at-bat, as Victorino hit a slicing double down the left-field line with one out, stole third and scored on Utley's fly to right.
Philadelphia pushed home three more in the second, all with two outs. Ruiz worked a walk, advanced when Wilson Valdez dribbled one behind second base, and scored as Halladay lined a hit in front of Reds left fielder Jonny Gomes. Jimmy Rollins followed with a walk to load the bases and Victorino plated two
with a line single to center for a 4-0 game.
Travis Wood was called on to replace Volquez and retired Utley on a grounder to second to end the rally. Wood, a 23-year-old rookie, allowed just one hit through 3 1/3 innings, fanning three with one walk.
Halladay retired the first 14 batters he faced until that two-out walk to Bruce, but Drew Stubbs grounded into an inning-ending fielder's choice at second.
The Reds went quietly in the sixth when Hernandez flew out, pinch-hitter Juan Francisco grounded out and Phillips lofted a fly to right. It was the same story in the seventh as Orlando Cabrera, Joey Votto and Scott Rolen were powerless against the veteran right-hander.
Rolen, a former Phillies player from 1996-2002 and NL Rookie of the Year in 1997, fanned swinging to end the frame after a pair of check-swings on the previous two pitches.
Gomes went down on strikes to start the eighth on a ball in the dirt, Bruce grounded meekly to the mound, and Stubbs was caught looking at a called third strike.
Notes: This is the second playoff meeting between the clubs, with the only prior matchup being a three-game sweep by Cincinnati over Philadelphia in a best-of-five NLCS in 1976...Valdez subbed for regular third baseman Placido Polanco, who was ruled out with a sore back...Halladay became the first pitcher since Nolan Ryan in 1973 to hurl a pair of no-hit games in one season. Virgil Trucks (1952), Allie Reynolds (1951) and Johnny Vander Meer (1938) also accomplished the feat...Victorino vaulted into first-place all-time in franchise annals with 35 postseason hits...He came into the game one behind
Mike Schmidt...The Phillies' last playoff shutout came when Cliff Lee and Chad Durbin combined for an 11-0 win over the Dodgers in Game 3 of the 2009 NLCS at Philadelphia...Curt Schilling was the last Phils' pitcher to go the distance and hurl a shutout, in a 2-0 decision over Toronto during Game 5 of the 1993 World Series...The Reds had not been blanked since a 6-0 setback in Game 4 of the 1995 NLCS at Atlanta...Cincinnati hadn't been held hitless since Rick Wise of the Phillies did it on June 23, 1971 at Riverfront Stadium.
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