Braves Hammer Halladay, Minor Rolls Past Phillies With 8-2 Win

2012 has been a nightmare year for Roy Halladay against the Braves. In this his fourth start of the year against them, he suffered through his shortest outing of the year, retiring just five hitters and allowing seven runs in Atlanta's 8-2 win over the Phillies.

Halladay immediately walked Michael Bourn to start the game, but Bourn was picked off and Jason Heyward hit into a force out, giving Halladay hope of escaping the inning unscathed. Chipper Jones, though, singled on the first pitch he saw from Halladay and with the count 0-2 on Freddie Freeman, the Atlanta first baseman blasts a fastball to right for a three-run homer.

In the second, Halladay again was one out away from ending the inning following another leadoff walk, this time to Brian McCann. After Jose Constanza and Mike Minor struck out, Bourn singled and Martin Prado walked to load the bases. On a 3-2 pitch, Heyward drove a curveball down the right field line and into the corner to clear the bases. Atlanta hitters plated six runs before Halladay was pulled for Jeremy Horst and Chipper crushed the second pitch from him for a run-scoring double to center.

That was more than enough for Minor, who turned in another great outing, allowing just two hits in six innings. He was tagged for both Phillies runs; in the third inning, Kevin Frandsen led off with a triple - the first hit Minor allowed in the game - and scored on a sacrifice fly by pinch-hitter Darin Ruf. In the fourth inning, Ryan Howard tagged Minor with a long solo homer that hit the back ivy-covered wall in center field. The home run was number 300 in his career and the 42nd he's hit against the Braves. Minor issued just one walk and struck out six.

Horst and three other Phillies relievers held Atlanta scoreless until the eighth. Michael Bourn led off the inning with a double off Justin de Fratus and scored on a Jason Heyward single with one out.

The win moves Atlanta's magic number to clinch a playoff spot down to three.