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ATLANTA -- With their playoff hopes uncertain, Atlantas struggling batters picked a bad time to get no-hit by Cole Hamels and three Philadelphia relievers. "You feel like youve hit a good stride," manager Fredi Gonzalez said. "And all of a sudden you go through a stretch where you score one run in 27 innings, and lucky enough to win one of those games." Hamels and the Phillies bullpen combined on the seasons fourth no-hitter, blanking the Atlanta Braves 7-0 Monday. Atlanta lost 4-0 two days earlier to Miami and beat the Marlins 1-0 Sunday. The Braves, who had won 11 of 15, began Monday 1 1/2 games back in the NL wild-card race. But nobody could solve Hamels and the Philadelphia bullpen. Jason Heyward drew two walks and stole three bases. Atlanta was otherwise punchless. "He walked a few guys on and he gave us an opportunity," Justin Upton said after going 0 for 3 with two strikeouts. "We should have executed in that situation, but we didnt and it just kind of steamrolled from there." It was all the more unusual in that Hamels left the game with his bid intact after six innings. He was fine with the decision, too, having already thrown 108 pitches at a hot afternoon at Turner Field. "Just understanding the situation, every time I went out there I was battling control issues," Hamels said. "I wasnt getting ahead of guys. Walking the leadoff hitter will put you in a lot of trouble, and it does. It builds up your pitch count." Hamels (8-6) struck out seven, matched a season high with five walks and hit a batter. Relievers Jake Diekman, Ken Giles and closer Jonathan Papelbon each pitched a perfect inning to finish off the gem. A smiling Hamels watched from the bench as they finished off what he started. Clayton Kershaw and Josh Beckett of the Dodgers and Tim Lincecum of the Giants threw no-hitters earlier this year. Right fielder Marlon Byrd foiled the Braves best bid for a hit. With runners on second and third in the third inning, Byrd raced in and toward the line to make a diving catch on Chris Johnsons slicing liner to end the inning. Johnson came close again in the ninth with a grounder up the middle. Shortstop Jimmy Rollins ranged behind the bag to make the play. Phil Gosselin then lined out to first baseman Darin Ruf, who had taken over in the ninth for Ryan Howard, to end the game. Hamels singled and scored in the sixth inning, and got pats of congratulations in the dugout after pitching the bottom half. He was on deck in the seventh, but a decision already seemed to be made when he was pulled for pinch-hitter Grady Sizemore. The 30-year-old Hamels already had impressive accomplishments on his resume -- in 2008, he was the MVP of the World Series and the NL championship series, and hes a three-time All-Star. Diekman struck out two and Giles fanned three before Papelbon took over. This was the 11th combined no-hitter in major league history. Kevin Millwood and five Seattle relievers teamed up to do it against the Dodgers in 2012. The first combined no-hitter came in 1917 when Babe Ruth walked the first Washington batter of the game and was ejected, and Boston Red Sox reliever Ernie Shore didnt allow another runner. Roy Halladay pitched the previous two Phillies no-hitters -- he threw a perfect game against the Marlins in 2010, then threw a no-hitter the same year in the playoffs against Cincinnati. It was 12th no-hitter in Phillies history. The last pitcher to no-hit the Braves was Ubaldo Jimenez of Colorado in 2010. Philadelphia manager Ryne Sandberg knew Hamels was tired and ready to come out of the game. Their discussion was a quick one. "He was pretty well spent there," Sandberg said. The early innings had something to do with it. The stressful innings, stranding the runners at second and third a couple of times, but he wasnt going to go nine." Ben Revere tripled and drove in a career-high five runs. The leadoff man started the day with 15 RBIs this season. Julio Teheran (13-10) gave up five hits and five runs -- two earned -- with four walks in 6 2-3 innings. He left after Reveres bases-loaded triple made it 5-0 in the seventh. Shortstop Andrelton Simmons error set up the runs. Philadelphia has won Hamels last five starts against the Braves. He owns a 0.97 ERA and four victories in that span. "Past the third inning he started throwing the ball where he wanted to," Johnson said. "With that cutter and that sinker both in, you didnt know which way it was going to go, whether it was going to go in on your hands or back towards the plate." UP NEXT Phillies: RHP Kyle Kendrick (7-11) starts Tuesday vs. Atlanta. He has a 6.55 ERA over his last nine starts. ... Braves LHP Mike Minor (6-8) is winless with two losses and a 2.77 ERA in two starts against Philadelphia this year. Billy McKinney Blue Jays Jersey . The top-ranked Williams carried her winning momentum from 2013 into the new season, beating No. 2-ranked Victoria Azarenka 6-4, 7-5 on Saturday to defend her title at the Brisbane International and set the tone for the Australian Open. David Wells Blue Jays Jersey . The struggling New Orleans Pelicans were simply overmatched. Crawford hit seven 3s on his way to 24 points, and the Clippers beat the Pelicans 123-110 on Monday night. "We understand what we do well. If we all do what we do well, well make our team stronger," Crawford said. https://www.cheapbluejays.com/2186h-patr...-blue-jays.html. Sure, Josh Browns 45-yard field goal on the third drive of overtime lifted the New York Giants to a 23-20 win over Detroit on Sunday. But the Lions (7-8) dropped themselves out of the NFC North race by losing five of their last six games, blowing fourth-quarter leads in each setback. Blue Jays Jerseys China . - Playing a road game against a division rival raises the intensity for linebacker Clay Matthews. Toronto Blue Jays Gear .Best moustache: How can we not give this to Lanny McDonald? Check out the duster for yourself.Salvador, Brazil - The United States did well to emerge from the "Group of Death," but the Americans are keen on making further waves in the World Cup, starting with Tuesdays clash with Belgium at the Arena Fonte Nova. You can listen to all the action on TSN Radio 1050 in Toronto, TSN Radio 690 in Montreal, TSN Radio 1200 in Ottawa, and TEAM 1410 in Vancouver beginning at 4pm et/1pm pt. After opening Group G play with a last-gasp 2-1 win over Ghana, the Americans looked certain to progress to the knockout round when they carried a one-goal lead into the final minute of stoppage time against Portugal. But a late goal from Silvestre Varela left the U.S. to fight Germany with a spot in the round of 16 at stake. The Yanks suffered a 1-0 defeat in the finale, but Portugals 2-1 victory over Ghana in Group Gs other contest was enough to put the U.S. through to the next round on goal difference. According to U.S. head coach Jurgen Klinsmann, advancing from the toughest group in the World Cup was a great accomplishment, but he does not want the Americans to be satisfied with that feat. "Its a great achievement to get out of this group and into the knockout rounds," Klinsmann said following the defeat to Germany. "It was a difficult game, both physically and mentally, because the knowledge that a draw would be enough was always at the back of our minds. We were a bit too nervous and showed them too much respect at the start but we calmed down as the match wore on. Weve got a great team and we put in a superb performance. We could have created a few more chances but overall Im satisfied. "It was one of the most difficult groups at the tournament. Ghana and Portugal are good teams and Germany are one of the favorites to win the title. Were still learning and growing as a team. Now everything starts from scratch again because the knockoutt rounds are very different.dddddddddddd" Klinsmann made waves before the start of the tournament by stating that the United States realistically could not win the World Cup, but he signaled his true ambition for the team by instructing the players to plan for a long stay in Brazil. "I think if everybody goes to his own personal limit in the context of the team, were going to go further in this tournament," he told reporters. "But youve got to realize that moment. So I asked everybody, all the players, to make sure that all their flights are booked after July 13 (the date of the final). Thats just how you have to approach a World Cup, no matter what happens now. You can always change your flights, so start with the end in mind. The end is July 13. "Every single day were going to have on the knockout stage, can we do it? Yes we can. This is now one of the benchmarks. We want to be in the top ten, top 12 of the world one day. So if we want to be there, this is now the moment." Belgium should provide a stern test for the Americans, though. The two nations have faced one another twice during Klinsmanns tenure as U.S. coach with Belgium coming out victorious on both occasions. But in the World Cup thus far, Belgium has been slightly underwhelming. The Red Devils claimed maximum points from their three matches of the group stage, but the performances have been rather unconvincing. At many times, Belgium has looked disjointed, as if the immensely talented individuals on the team were playing for themselves. The Americans, by contrast, have been a well-oiled unit playing off one another both in attack and in defense. Belgium, strong on paper, coming up against an American side that has been made to grind out results makes Tuesdays tussle at the Arena Fonte Nova one of the more intriguing clashes of the round of 16. ' ' '