Cliff Lee struck out 16 Atlanta Braves last night but the Phillies lost the game 5-0. With two outs in the third, Lee gave up four well-struck balls and the Braves put three runs on the board. Lee went seven,giving up just those three. In his last three starts, he's had a total run support of one.
Derek Lee, meanwhile, had a no-hitter going into the seventh, when Shane Victorino greeted him with a sharp single, then Placido Polanco followed with what was, alas, a ground-rule double. With two on, Eric O'Flaherty came in and struck out Howard, then Francisco, then Ibanez. Threat over. Danys Baez gave up two more runs in the ninth.
Placido Polanco had to leave the game in the seventh with a contusion of his right toe. I don't even want to think about what the line-up will be tonight behind Kendrick.
Up in Boston, meanwhile, the Flyers were swept out by the Bruins in a 5-1 defeat. The Bruins were the better team from the get-go. Magic does not happen twice. The Flyers always have goalie problems, but really their problems went deeper than that. Give Bobrovsky a chance!
