Cliff Lee was superb Tuesday night, both on the mound and at the plate, leading the Phillies to a 2-1 win over the Dodgers. Lee pitched eight scoreless innings, continuing his dominance over the Dodgers, and also hit a home run into the pavilion in right field that proved to be the difference in the game. Lee's mastery overshadowed a very good start from Ted Lilly.
Lee in his career has faced the Dodgers four times, counting the postseason. In those four starts, Lee has pitched 30 1/3 innings, and has allowed all of one run, to go along with four walks and 33 strikeouts. He has four wins. In his last 12 starts this season, Lee is 8-2 with a 1.86 ERA, with 15 walks and 87 strikeouts in 92 innings.
Lilly, aside from allowing the home run to Lee, pitched great. He lasted eight innings, his longest outing of the season, allowing two runs on six hits while striking out five. The home run to Lee was the second blast Lilly has allowed to a pitcher this season, as Daniel Hudson of Arizona took Lilly deep on July 17 in Phoenix.
The Dodgers managed to score a run off closer Ryan Madson in the ninth inning, but it was not enough as the Phillies won for the second time in as many nights. The Dodgers try to avoid a sweep, and a potential four-game losing streak, on Wednesday afternoon, as Chad Billingsley and Vance Worley face off in the series finale.
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