To recap last night, Roy Oswalt hit the disabled list with lower back inflammation and Scott Matheison was brought up to take his spot.
In five starts with Philadelphia this season, Oswalt is 3-1 with a 3.33 ERA. The 33-year-old has held opposing hitters to a .212 average while striking out 21 batters in 27.0 innings. He took the loss in his last start, April 26 at Arizona, snapping a career-high 10-game winning streak, the longest by a Phillies pitcher in the last 35 years.
Mathieson, 27, has gone 0-0 with a 4.97 ERA in eight games with Lehigh Valley this season. In 11 career games with the Phillies, including eight starts, Mathieson is 1-4 with a 7.62 ERA in 39.0 innings.
The Phillies wasted a ridiculous effort by Cliff Lee, too. He struck out a career high 16 in the Phillies 5-0 loss. Sinkerballer Derek Lowe made the Phillies look like the Sillies again, allowing just two hits.
They always seem to struggle with Lowe, usually through impatience. Last night he went six innings, while the bullpen finished off the final three innings without allowing a hit.
Lee pitched seven innings, a remarkable number for 16 strikeouts, but a terrible third innings did him in.
It’s weird; Lee doesn’t look his sharpest and then strikes out 16 batters. It’s been that way all year. Clearly, the offense did him no favors.
