Jair Jurrjens pitches Braves over Phillies

[April 08, 2009]  PHILADELPHIA (AP) -- Jair Jurrjens and four relievers combined on a six-hitter, Kelly Johnson and Chipper Jones hit solo homers and the Atlanta Braves beat the Philadelphia Phillies 4-0 on Tuesday night.

The defending World Series champions are off to an 0-2 start for the fourth straight year. They'll receive their rings before trying to avoid a three-game sweep on Wednesday.

Jurrjens (1-0) beat a pitcher twice his age, 46-year-old Jamie Moyer. The right-hander gave up four hits and walked three in 5 2-3 impressive innings.

Jeff Bennett gave up a single to the only batter he faced before Eric O'Flaherty got the next four outs. Rafael Soriano pitched the eighth and Mike Gonzalez finished.

Moyer (0-1) allowed four runs and eight hits in five innings. The veteran lefty led the Phillies with 16 wins and had a 3.71 ERA last season, earning a $13 million, two-year contract despite his age.

Atlanta defeated Philadelphia 4-1 in the major league opener Sunday night behind Derek Lowe's masterful pitching and three homers off Brett Myers.

The Phillies' potent offense couldn't do much against Jurrjens or Atlanta's bullpen. Philadelphia left two runners on four times and stranded 11 in all. Chase Utley and Ryan Howard each had two hits.

Johnson hit Moyer's first pitch into the seats in right for his fourth career leadoff homer. One batter later, Jones doubled off the wall in center. Brian McCann followed with a grounder that skipped under second baseman Chase Utley's glove for an error, allowing Jones to score.

The Braves added a run in the fourth on Johnson's infield single with two outs. But Moyer escaped further damage when left fielder Raul Ibanez nailed Casey Kotchman at home on a perfect, no-hop throw to catcher Carlos Ruiz.

Jones led off the fifth with a liner to the seats in left for a 4-0 lead.

The Phillies had two runners on with two outs in the sixth, but O'Flaherty retired pinch-hitter Matt Stairs on a deep fly to center.

Chan Ho Park, who won the fifth starter's job in spring training, pitched a scoreless sixth in relief of Moyer. Park is scheduled to start at Colorado on Sunday.

It was 45 degrees when the game started, so fans were bundled in heavy coats, hats, gloves and scarves. Some didn't show up, even though the game was sold out.

Notes: Phillies manager Charlie Manuel juggled his lineup so three left-handed batters wouldn't bat 3-4-5. Jayson Werth dropped down from No. 2 to the fifth spot, Ibanez went from fifth to sixth and Shane Victorino moved up to the second spot. ... RHP Javier Vazquez makes his Braves debut in the series finale against RHP Joe Blanton. ... Atlanta swept the Phillies in a three-game series on the road to start the 2007 season. ... Jurrjens went 13-10 with a 3.68 ERA as a rookie last year.

[Associated Press; By ROB MAADDI]

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