Not bad for a postseason debut -- at least for Philadelphia's Roy Halladay.
For the Cincinnati Reds, making their first playoff appearance in 15 years, it couldn't have gone much worse.
Halladay pitched the second no-hitter in postseason history and his second of the season, dominating the Reds 4-0 in Game 1 of the NLDS in Philadelphia Wednesday.
Halladay faced just one batter over the minimum, striking out eight batters -- perhaps thanks in part to the generous strike zone of home-plate umpire John Hirschbeck -- and walking the Reds' Jay Bruce in the fifth inning. He added an RBI single in the second inning to help his own cause.The right-hander, making his playoff debut after pitching the first 12 seasons of his career in postseason-starved Toronto, threw a perfect game at Florida May 29. The only other playoff no-hitter was Don Larsen's perfect game for the Yankees in the 1956 World Series against Brooklyn.
The Reds -- only six of whom have postseason experience -- fell behind early and never had a chance against Halladay. Cincinnati starter Edinson Volquez surrendered a sacrifice fly to Chase Utley, scoring Shane Victorino, who had doubled and stolen third, for a one-run first-inning lead.
Halladay got in on the fun offensively one inning later, singling home catcher Carlos Ruiz, who had walked. Victorino then knocked in Wilson Valdez, who had singled, and Halladay to chase Volquez after just 1 2-3 innings.
The old adage goes that in any no-hitter, the defense always contributes a few gems behind the pitcher. But Cincinnati couldn't even manufacture any real near-misses at the plate and went quietly before the raucous crowd in the ninth. Halladay retired Ramon Hernandez and pinch-hitter Miguel Cairo before Brandon Phillips chopped an 0-2 pitch in front of the plate, with Ruiz making the final play to end it.
The lone bright spot for the Reds was the work of their bullpen. Travis Wood, Logan Ondrusek and Bill Bray collectively allowed just one hit over the final 6 1-3 frames.
Volquez allowed four runs on four hits, with two walks and no punchouts.
Victorino went 2-for-4, the lone player with a multi-hit night.
Game 2 of the series is scheduled for Friday, with the Phillies' Roy Oswalt set to oppose Cincinnati's Bronson Arroyo.
NOTES: Halladay's effort is the sixth no-hitter this season. Colorado's Ubaldo Jimenez, Oakland's Dallas Braden, Edwin Jackson of Arizona and Tampa Bay's Matt Garza all accomplished the feat, with Detroit's Armando Galarraga losing a perfect game against Cleveland with two outs in the ninth inning on a blown call in June. ... Halladay is the first pitcher to throw a shutout in his playoff debut since the Mets' Bobby Jones pitched a one-hitter in Game 4 of the 2000 NLDS. ... Halladay also threw just the second playoff shutout in Phillies history. Curt Schilling shut out the Blue Jays in Game 5 of the 1993 World Series. ... Philadelphia's Placido Polanco sat out with back stiffness.
Photo above: Philadelphia's Roy Halladay pitches Wednesday. (Matt Slocum/AP)
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Audio credit -- Reds Radio Network
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