The Dodgers ran into a buzzsaw Monday night, and his name was Cliff Lee. The southpaw hurler struck out 10 batters in seven scoreless innings, leading the Phillies to a 3-1 victory in the opener of a three-game series at Citizens Bank Park. In three career starts against the Dodgers, including the playoffs, Cliff Lee has given up just one run in 22 1/3 innings.
Ted Lilly pitched his fourth straight quality start for the Dodgers, allowing just two runs in six innings. The Phillies scored their first two runs in the third inning, when a walk and two singles followed a leadoff double by Wilson Valdez. The Phillies tacked on a run in the eighth inning with an RBI double off Mike MacDougal.
Jamey Carroll had three hits for the Dodgers, and is 8-for-13 in his last three games. But he was stranded on base three times as Marcus Thames went 0-for-4 in his first game back from the disabled list. Juan Uribe also returned from the DL today, and collected two hits. On Uribe's final hit, in the ninth inning, Uribe was replaced by pinch runner Dee Gordon, making his major league debut. Gordon looked lightning quick running first to third on a single by James Loney, then scored on a ground out. Gordon became the first Dodger to score as a pinch runner in his major league debut since Wilton Guerrero on September 3, 1996.
The Dodger youth movement of sorts continues on Tuesday, as Rubby De La Rosa makes his first major league start, against Roy Oswalt of the Phillies.
For more news and information on the Dodgers, or on tonight's game, be sure to read the SB Nation blog True Blue LA.