From a Phillies perspective, this was the way it should have been all season, and maybe, just maybe, the way it can be again.
One night after a downer that saw the end of a 257-game regular season sellout streak at Citizens Bank Park and a 60th loss that tied the total from the entire 2011 season, the Phillies started anew on Tuesday night.
No, they didn't start a new sellout streak, but the 42,660 who were there got to see the pieces of what could be a 2013 turnaround.
And the biggest piece of all was Cole Hamels, who looked like the Hamels of 2008 in recording his first shutout since 2009 — a five-hit masterpiece in a 3-0 win over the Braves.
Hamels got his fifth career shutout, but his first since Sept. 1, 2009, against the Giants and first complete game since last Sept. 8.
The lanky lefty also won his first game since signing his six-year, $144 million contract extension on July 25 and gave no one a chance to second-guess the money spent, turning in one of the most dominant performances of his career.
He struck out six, walked none and threw 78 strikes among his 111 pitches.
No Brave reached second base, thanks in large part to a nifty play in left field by Domonic Brown, who got to Brian McCann's shot into the corner in a hurry, spun and made a strong throw to second base, where Chase Utley easily tagged out McCann, who was trying for a fifth-inning double.
Philadelphia Phillies
Record: 20-22
3rd in National League East
Home: Citizens Bank Park, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Capacity: 46,528
3rd in National League East
Home: Citizens Bank Park, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Capacity: 46,528
Hamels, Howard lead way to a 3-0 win over Braves
Allentown Morning Call 8/08/2012
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