Pence: Among celebrants
(c) Associated Press
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Expecting the woeful Astros to sweep the powerful Phillies would have been too tall an order but Houston forestalled their record 98th loss to the final game of the series and forced the Phillies to ask their best pitcher to spin a shutout to get them into the playoffs.
Roy "Doc" Halladay tossed a six-hitter to blank the Astros, 1-0, outdueling Bud Norris, who has had more than his share of hard-luck decisions this year.
Norris allowed a double by Shane Victorino and an RBI single by Placido Polanco in the first before the thin crowd of 20,000 had warmed their seats. That was all the scoring the onlookers would see. Norris gave up just four hits over seven innings and the bullpen gave him hitless relief.
Halladay scattered six hits and walked one while striking out seven in the complete-game shutout. The Astros squandered a bases-loaded no-out chance in the second and Halladay made sure they'd never get another opportunity. Jimmy Paredes was the only Astro with two hits.
There was no post-game dogpile in the middle of the field. The Phillies have much higher goals for themselves and simply high-fived and shook hands with each other on the Minute Maid turf.
Houston next flies to Chicago to open a three-game series with the Cubs at Wrigley on Friday. Veterans Wandy Rodriguez (11-10) and Matt Garza (8-10) are the scheduled starters in the 1:20 Central contest.
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