Atlanta Braves’ Chipper Jones during a baseball game against the Philadelphia Phillies, Friday, July 6, 2012, in Philadelphia.PHILADELPHIA – Ryan Howard walked up to the plate to a loud standing ovation and drove the second pitch he saw deep to right-center for a double.
With all their regulars back, it was just like old times for the Philadelphia Phillies. Except the end result.
Brian McCann hit a grand slam, Tim Hudson tossed four-hit ball over seven innings and the Atlanta Braves beat the struggling Phillies 5-0 to spoil Howard’s season debut Friday night.
“It felt good, but the outcome didn’t go the way we wanted it,” Howard said.
Howard was 2-for-4 in his first game since rupturing his left Achilles tendon on the final swing in a postseason elimination loss to St. Louis last October. But the last-place Phillies generated nothing else on offense.