RAUL IBANEZ

Raul Ibanez doubled home Jayson Werth with two outs in the bottom of the eight inning for the game’s only run as the Phillies beat the Atlanta Braves 1-0 at Citizen’s Bank Park. The Phils completed a sweep of their NL East rivals and reduced their magic number for clinching their fourth-straight division title to four.

The ball Ibanez hit off of Braves’ reliever Jonny Venters was just fair down the left-field line and scored Werth, who walked, from first. Venters, a left hander, came into the game having held left-hand batters to a .190 average in 72 appearances.

“I said 14 prayers running down the first-base line,” said Ibanez, who is 13-of-28 (.464) with nine RBI over the last seven games, “hoping the ball would stay fair. Watching Jayson run around the bases was amazing and Venters is a really tough pitcher.”

“I saw the ball bounce off the wall,” Werth said, “I was scoring after that.”

Roy Oswalt started for the Phillies and went seven innings, struck out eight and allowed only one hit (a two-out double to Martin Prado in the fourth) and a walk. Ryan Madson pitched a perfect eight to get the win while Brad Lidge came on to record his 26^th save. Madson has an 11 and two third inning scoreless streak and Lidge has converted his last nine save opportunities.

The Phillies host the New York Mets for three games starting Friday night.

Rock Hoffman can be reached at Rdvsports@yahoo.com

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