The Phillies’ Doc was in his element Monday night.
Roy Halladay pitched his major league-best seventh complete game this season, Greg Dobbs hit a two-run homer and the Phightins beat the Braves 3-1.
Halladay (10-7) allowed five hits and struck out seven to record his second straight complete game. The All-Star right-hander outdueled Derek Lowe (9-7) and needed just 93 pitches to finish.
Halladay hasn't received much run support from a previously high-powered offense that's been inconsistent this season. The Phillies have scored a total of 12 runs in Halladay's seven losses.
The only blemish Doc allowed on the scoreboard was when Chipper Jones homered for the NL East-leading Braves.
The two-time NL champion Phillies, who lost three of four to lowly Pittsburgh over the weekend, need to win this three-game series to avoid losing more ground in the division. They're 17-23 in the last 40 games and trail Atlanta by four games.
Juan Castro, who came in as a defensive replacement for Dobbs at third base in the eighth, gave the Phillies a an insurance run with a two-out, RBI single. Castro delivered after missing a suicide squeeze and Raul Ibanez was tagged out.
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The Phillies reached the midpoint of the season at 43-38 -- same as last year. But they had a two-game lead in the division at this point in 2009.
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