JAMIE MOYER

Jamie Moyer had a special night as he threw a complete game two-hit shutout and the Phillies beat the Atlanta Braves 7-0 at Citizens Bank Park on Friday night. For Moyer it was the third complete game two-hitter of his career and his 262^nd win. At 47 years and 170, he became the oldest pitcher to ever throw a shutout passing Phil Nikro, who was 46 years and 188 days.

“Cool,” said Moyer when told he made history, “I had fun, I probably forgotten what that’s like. It hasn’t happened a whole lot in my career but it’s fun to go out and pitch nine innings.”

It was his first complete game since a seven-inning game against Pittsburgh on July 27, 2007 which was only previous one as a Phillie. His last shutout – also a two-hitter – was on June 2, 2006 against the Royals and you have to go back to August 16 of 1986 – Moyer’s rookie season – to find his first two-hit gem which was in Montreal.

“The focus for me was more about trying to stay within myself,” said Moyer when asked for his reaction when the crowd chanted his name in the ninth inning, “and not get caught up in the emotion. I’ve been in situations like that before in the playoffs and in Seattle; if you’re not careful you get caught up in everything and I’m not a power guy and I don’t throw the ball by people so I pretty much stay with what I’ve been doing all night.”

“He threw low, quality strikes,” said manager Charlie Manuel, “and then when he wanted to go up in the strike zone or inside, to right handers especially, he did.”

“Guys like Jamie don’t overpower you,” said Ryan Howard, “and they know they’re not going to overpower you. They execute their plan and allow you to get yourself out.”

The Braves did that, Moyer retired 18 in a row between singles by Troy Glaus in the second and eighth innings. In the second, Glaus hit the first pitch to left then Matt Diaz grounded into a double play on the first pitch he saw. David Ross only needed one pitch to end the inning by grounding to shortstop.

“That was a nice inning,” Moyer said, “I enjoyed that.”

He also enjoyed the three-run home run Jayson Werth hit in the third inning off of Braves starter and losing pitcher, Derek Lowe; while Raul Ibanez and Wilson Valdez each had two-run singles in the fifth. Lowe, who came in with a 4-0 record and 1.60 ERA at Citizens Bank Park, left after the fifth having given up all seven runs on 11 hits and two walks. In two starts against the Phillies this season, Lowe has given up 11 earned runs in 10 innings.

The Phillies are 6-2 on this homestand which continues on Saturday with Joe Blanton (0-1, 5.40) facing Kris Medlen (1-1, 2.55) at 3:10 on FOX.

E-mail Rock Hoffman at Rdvsports@yahoo.com