In a vaunted match-up between Danny Haren and Cliff Lee, it was all Cliff Lee. On a muggy night in Philadelphia, with a game time temperature around 90, Lee threw another complete game, allowing just two hits and one unearned run in an 8-1 victory. He again had a no-hitter going into the 6th. He struck out 11 and threw 81 of his 106 pitches for strikes; through the 6th he had thrown just 15 balls. The game took 2 hours and 28 minutes.
As for the offense, Chase Utley led it off in the 3rd, with a two-run homer. Ryan Howard later added a three-run opposite field homer. Jayson Werth had two solo homers. Oh yes, Cliff Lee had two hits and scored a run. As a Phillie, he's still got more hits than runs allowed. When he came to bat in the bottom of the 8th, he got a tingling standing ovation, then beat out a swinging bunt to 1st. Again, is this guy for real?
Lee now has a 0.82 ERA in his four starts with the Phillies. Jayson Werth talking about him postgame said he works quick and fast, throws strikes, and he's good. You got that, Jayson. So did the sell-out crowd, 52nd of the season and the largest to date, in attendance.
