PHILS END ORTIZ'S 'W' STREAK AT 18
Millwood Fires 2-Hit Shutout
ATLANTA, Sept. 8 (AP) - Kevin Millwood tossed a two-hit complete game shutout
and the Philadelphia Phillies upended the Atlanta Braves, 5-0 at Turner
Field. The loss brought Russ Ortiz's major league best winning streak to
an end at 18 straight decisions. The loss by Ortiz was his first since May
3. Mike Mussina of the New York Yankees holds the majors' current longest
streak of consecutive decisions without a loss at 15, a function of his victory
today over the Toronto Blue Jays.
The Phillies effectively put the game away during a spasm of wildness by Ortiz
in the top of the very first inning. After retiring Marlon Byrd on a fly
ball to open the game, Ortiz yielded a single to Jimmy Rollins, who promptly
stole second base. Ortiz walked Bobby Abreu and Jim Thome to fill the
bases with one out. Mike Lieberthal was then hit by a 1-1 pitch to force
in a run. Consecutive walks to Ricky Ledee and Tomas Perez followed,
forcing in two more runs and giving the Phillies a 3-0 lead. Chase Utley
popped to second for out number two but, on a 1-1 pitch to Millwood, the ninth
batter of the inning, Ortiz uncorked a wild pitch, scoring Lieberthal with the
fourth run of the frame. Millwood ultimately struck out. Ortiz
settled down and blanked Philadelphia over the next five innings but the damage
was done.
Milwood (16-8) was absolutely sensational. He struck out nine batters and
walked only one while surrendering just the two hits. The Braves never
seriously threatened to score in the entire game, failing to advance a runner
past second base. 13 of the final 14 Braves batters were retired by
Millwood, five of them on strikes.
The control difficulties that afflicted Ortiz in the first inning apparently
were contagious; Atlanta relievers walked six Phillies batters over the final
three innings, though only one scored. Lieberthal's double in the ninth
plated Abreu who had walked earlier in the frame, accounting for the final 5-0
margin.
The loss was meaningless for the Braves, who clinched the National League East
three days ago and have all but locked up Major League Baseball's best record
this year. But the Phillies, in a wildcard battle with the Florida Marlins
and St. Louis Cardinals, needed the win. Philadelphia stands 3 1/2 games
behind the Marlins for the wildcard lead, pending the outcome of Florida's game
with the New York Mets.
9/8/2003, Phi03-Atl03, Turner Field 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E LOB DP 2003 Phillies 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 5 5 0 12 1 2003 Braves 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 2 0 Phillies AB R H BI AVG Braves AB R H BI AVG Byrd cf 5 0 0 0 .293 Furcal ss 4 0 0 0 .317 Rollins ss 5 1 1 0 .250 DeRosa 2b 4 0 0 0 .268 Abreu rf 2 2 0 0 .315 Sheffield rf 3 0 1 0 .323 Thome 1b 3 1 0 0 .302 Jones,C lf 3 0 0 0 .289 Lieberthal c 3 1 2 2 .320 Jones,A cf 3 0 0 0 .281 Ledee lf 3 0 1 1 .282 Lopez,JT c 2 0 0 0 .321 Perez,To 3b 3 0 0 1 .260 Fick 1b 3 0 1 0 .279 Utley 2b 4 0 1 0 .247 Castilla 3b 2 0 0 0 .267 Millwood p 2 0 0 0 .109 Franco,Ju ph 1 0 0 0 .335 30 5 5 4 Hessman 3b 0 0 0 0 .214 Ortiz,Ru p 1 0 0 0 .269 Franco,M ph 1 0 0 0 .317 Hernandez,Ro p 0 0 0 0 .000 Wright,Jar p 0 0 0 0 .500 Hodges p 0 0 0 0 .000 Bragg ph 1 0 0 0 .273 28 0 2 0 Phillies INN H R ER BB K PCH STR ERA Millwood W 16-8 9.0 2 0 0 1 9 100 67 2.97 9.0 2 0 0 1 9 100 67 Braves INN H R ER BB K PCH STR ERA Ortiz,Ru L 21-3 6.0 4 4 4 5 6 102 54 2.84 Hernandez,Ro 1.0 0 0 0 2 1 23 12 5.80 Wright,Jar 1.0 0 0 0 1 2 14 9 6.84 Hodges 1.0 1 1 1 3 0 31 13 6.12 9.0 5 5 5 11 9 170 88 Atl: Franco,M batted for Ortiz,Ru in the 6th Franco,Ju batted for Castilla in the 8th Hessman inserted at 3b in the 9th Bragg batted for Hodges in the 9th 2B-Lieberthal(19), Fick(25). RBI-Lieberthal 2(60), Ledee(47), Perez,To(28). SB-Rollins(14), Abreu(17). K-Byrd 2, Rollins, Abreu, Lieberthal, Ledee, Perez,To, Utley, Millwood, Furcal, DeRosa, Sheffield, Jones,C 3, Jones,A 2, Bragg. BB-Abreu 3, Thome 2, Lieberthal, Ledee 2, Perez,To 2, Utley, Lopez,JT. SH-Millwood 2. HBP-Lieberthal. HB-Ortiz,Ru. WP-Ortiz,Ru. GWRBI: Lieberthal Temperature: 68, Sky: clear, Wind: left to right at 3 MPH. Attendance: 33,676 Game Time: 2:48