Phils complete sweep of Marlins with shutout win

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Thursday, June 16, 2011
Posted: 3:30 p.m.5:16 p.m.
By John R. FingerCSNPhilly.com

BOX SCORE

Cliff Lee just couldnt wait to get the ball back in his hands. So rather than wait for home plate umpire Mike Muchlinski to finish up his discussion with Shane Victorino following a strikeout to end the sixth inning, Lee trotted from the mound to the plate and snatched the ball away.

Could you blame him? With the way the Phillies starters had been mowing down the Florida Marlins during the three-day, four-game sweep at the Bank, its a wonder the team didnt simply allow the pitchers to handle everything.

Actually, in the 3-0 victory over the Marlins at the Bank on Thursday afternoon, Lee kind of did just that. At the plate he went 2 for 3, including a two-out RBI double that drove home the winning run during the fourth inning. Of course Lee had some help with the offense, too. Ryan Howard lined one into the seats in right for his 15th home run of the year while Jimmy Rollins two-out double in the sixth helped plate the third run.

But no one could touch Lee on the mound and that can be taken literally. In finishing up the sweep of the Marlins with the complete-game shutout, Lee had as many hits as he allowed, spinning a nifty two-hitter with four strikeouts on 117 pitches.

Lee threw 17 first-pitch strikes to the 29 hitters he faced and held the Marlins hitless until there were two outs in the fifth inning.

I dont know more of what else he had to do, manager Charlie Manuel said. It was his game. He had his command going and he was in control the whole time. He did a super job.

Lees outing was the best, but certainly not the only stellar starting performance in the series. In fact, including Lees gem the Phils starters allowed just six runs in 30 innings (1.80 ERA) during the sweep.

So no wonder he couldnt wait to get the ball back.

Anytime you can go nine innings and they dont score you have to be happy with that, Lee astutely pointed out.

As usual, Lee was underwhelmed by his brilliant pitching, just as he was about his streak of marvelous outings as of late. Sure, he anchored the four-game sweep over the Marlins as well as the Phillies seventh straight victory, but he also was nearly unscathed during the 9-2 homestand where he won three games, allowing just one run and 13 hits with 21 strikeouts in 24 innings.

Needless to say, whatever it was that troubled Lee in the 10-2 loss in Washington on May 31 seems to be fixed.

Something was wrong with him then, but I dont think its wrong with him today, Manuel offered.

His command was the biggest difference, Manuel added. You see him sometimes when hes off and he leaves the ball up and in the middle of the plate and thats where he gets hurt, but today he was moving the ball around pretty good.

Lee got his outs on his full repertoire of pitches and didnt need the strikeouts as much as he has in past outings. He threw a four-seamer, two-seamer, changeup, cutter and a curve, which has been an especially effective pitch for him lately. Early in the game he got his outs on the four-seamer and the cutter, but as the game wore on his soft stuff kept the Marlins guessing.

When he gets his breaking ball over its a big pitch for him, Manuel said.

Meanwhile, the Phillies lineup is starting to come together with Chase Utleys re-emergence giving the batting order a sometimes devastating dynamic. Utley got a break on Thursday after playing both ends of a doubleheader on Wednesday and a long flight in store on Thursday evening, but the standings and the increased runs totals have shown the surge.

At 44-26 the Phillies still have the best record in baseball and hold a 5 game lead over the Braves in the NL East. The lead is the largest of any first-place team in baseball in other words, things are looking pretty good for the Phillies.

We still have a long way to go, but Im very happy with our pitching, Manuel said. If we score some runs and play the way we can have a very special season. When we signed on, we signed on to go to the World Series and win.
Up next
The Phillies jet off to Seattle on Thursday night in advance of the three-game series against the Mariners beginning on Friday. Roy Oswalt (4-4, 3.14), coming off of a victory over Chicago last time out, will pitch in the opener against the Mariners Michael Pineda (6-4, 2.72).

Vance Worley (2-1, 3.75) rejoined the club on Thursday and will accompany the team on the trip to pitch in Saturdays game against Felix Hernandez (7-5, 3.30). Worley has allowed three runs over 19 innings in his last three starts after being optioned to Triple A Lehigh Valley at the beginning of June. He is 4-2 with a 2.62 ERA with 47 strikeouts in 44 23 innings for the IronPigs this season.

The white hot Cole Hamels (9-2, 2.49) pitches the finale in Seattle on Sunday against Jason Vargas (4-4, 4.13).

After a day off, the Phillies hit St. Louis for the second time this season for three games against the Cardinals.

E-mail John R. Finger at jfinger@comcastsportsnet.com. Follow him on Twitter at @JRFingerCSN.

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