You wonder if Cliff Lee doesn't win every single game he pitches simply because he hasn't thought of it yet.
Dodgers Vs. Phillies: Cliff Lee Spins 7 Shutout Innings For Win
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Or maybe you don't. But after getting shut out for seven innings Monday night by Lee, the Los Angeles Dodgers might be wondering something. The Dodgers did finally cobble together a run in the ninth inning, but it wasn't nearly enough as the first-place Phillies beat the Dodgers 3-1.
Oh, it’s not real surprising that Cliff Lee pitched well against the Dodgers, or that he’s pitched well this season. Even with a couple of disaster starts on his résumé -- his second appearance of the season, and then again last week -- Lee’s 3.62 ERA is perfectly fine (if not quite what we expected).
What’s surprising is how he’s doing it. After striking out 10 Dodgers Monday night, Lee now leads the National League with exactly 100 K’s. Mind you, Lee’s finished in the top 10 in his league in strikeouts just twice: 9th in 2008, 10th in 2010. Lee’s been a great pitcher because of his impeccable control, not because of his ability to make the batters swing and miss.
Until this season. Lee’s been slightly fewer fastballs and slightly more curveballs and change-ups, and the result has been -- to this point, at least -- more swings and misses than ever before.
There is, it should be mentioned, a downside to Lee’s slightly different style of pitching this season: those extra strikeouts have been accompanied by extra walks; his walk rate this season is roughly three times what it was over the last three seasons.
Nobody should be complaining, though. Except for the Dodgers, or anybody else who has to hit against Lee. Seven shutout innings, 10 strikeouts, just a single walk. Plenty good enough.
The Phillies got all the runs they would need in the bottom of the third. Subbing for the injured Jimmy Rollins, Wilson Valdez led off with a double against Ted Lilly. After a sacrifice bunt and a walk, Valdez sprinted home on Placido Polanco's single to center field. And after Chase Utley flied out, Ryan Howard's single plated Shane Victorino.
Lilly got bumped for a pinch-hitter in the seventh, and the Phillies tacked on a third run in the eighth against Mike MacDougal. Chase Utley and Ben Francisco both walked, and Utley scored on Carlos Ruiz's double to left.
In relief of Lee, Antonio Bastardo pitched a perfect top of the eighth. Closer Ryan Madson took over in the ninth, and was touched for a run before striking out Rod Barajas and Dioner Navarro to earn his 13th save.
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