Raul Ibanez hit an RBI double with two outs in the eighth inning as the Philadelphia Phillies extended their winning streak to 10 games with a 1-0 triumph over the Atlanta Braves on Wednesday.
Carlos Ruiz recorded two of his team's four hits while Roy Oswalt, Ryan Madson and Brad Lidge combined on a one-hitter for the Phillies, who moved six games ahead of the Braves in the NL East and reduced their magic number for a fourth straight division title to four with nine games remaining.
Jonny Venters (4-3) began the eighth and hit Chase Utley with a pitch before getting Ryan Howard to ground into a double play. But Jayson Werth drew a walk and raced home on Ibanez's double to deep left field, giving Philadelphia the 1-0 lead.
Madson (6-2) notched the win after tossing a perfect top of the eighth and Lidge issued a two-out walk before recording his 26th save in 31 opportunities.
Starters Tommy Hanson and Oswalt were locked in a pitchers' duel, with Hanson keeping Philadelphia hitless for the opening 4 1/3 innings and Oswalt retiring the first 11 batters he faced before Martin Prado doubled. Oswalt proceeded to set down the next nine Braves before walking Brian McCann with two outs in the seventh.
Hanson yielded two hits and walked three while striking out four in six innings, while Oswalt gave up one hit and one walk with eight strikeouts in seven frames.
Hanson worked out of situations in the second, fifth and sixth innings. In the second, Werth drew a one-out walk, stole second with two down and advanced to third on catcher McCann's throwing error, but was stranded when Ruiz flied out.
With one out in the fifth, Ruiz doubled and Wilson Valdez walked before Oswalt sacrificed. But Hanson struck out Shane Victorino, leaving runners on second and third. An inning later, the Phillies stranded two more as Hanson induced a two-out groundout by Ibanez.
Philadelphia threatened against Atlanta's relief corps in the seventh as Ruiz hit a leadoff single off Peter Moylan and moved to second on Valdez's sacrifice. After Craig Kimbrel struck out pinch-hitter Greg Dobbs, Ruiz advanced to third on a wild pitch and Victorino walked, but Placido Polanco fouled out to end the inning.
The Braves had just one runner reach second base over the first eight innings, but Prado was stranded there following his fourth-inning double as Oswalt got McCann to ground out.