Game Recap:
Cliff Lee pitched a complete game, and the Phillies hit four home runs to back his effort as they won their third straight game.
What went right?
Shane Victorino was 2-3 with an RBI and two runs scored.
Chase Utley went 2-4 with a two run home run.
Ryan Howard went 1-4 with a three run home run.
Jayson Werth went 3-4 with two home runs.
Jimmy Rollins was 1-5 with a run scored.
Cliff Lee pitched his second complete game with the Phillies, allowing one run on two hits. He walked none and struck out 11. He also went 2-4 at the plate and scored a run.
What went wrong?
Pedro Feliz went 0-4.
Yep, that's it.
Game Analysis:
For the second time in a month, the Phillies stared down Dan Haren and took him behind the woodshed. While the Diamondbacks are not a good team, Haren is a great pitcher, and to be able to beat him twice in a month's time is certainly nothing to sneeze at. Of course, the story here again is the master that is Cliff Lee. For the second time as a Phillie, Lee pitched a complete game, allowing only one run and two hits. He had a no hitter going until the sixth inning and didn't walk a single batter. With the Phillies, Lee has allowed just three earned runs in four starts, while striking out 34 and walking six. Those numbers, ladies and gentlemen, are ace numbers. While Roy Halladay hasn't been the same since he came off the DL, Lee has been everything he was last year, and even more for the Phillies.
Meanwhile, the offense looked better again tonight. Sure, the Phillies scored most of their runs via the home run, but it's what this team does. They lead the league in home runs, so you have to expect a lot of runs to score that way. Chase Utley is heating up again, Ryan Howard is so hot right now, you need oven mitts to touch him and Jayson Werth is getting close to Ryan Howard levels of hotness. All in all, the middle of this lineup is really starting to put it all together at just the right time. Things are looking very, very good right now for this team as they inch closer and closer to a third straight NL East crown. I'm not counting my chickens too soon, though. The only thing worse than not making the playoffs right now would be hearing about it from Mets fans.
Tomorrow, Joe Blanton (7-6, 3.88 ERA) looks to finish off the sweep of Arizona. He'll be facing Doug Davis (7-10, 3.59 ERA).
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