Philadelphia Phillies (12-15) vs Cleveland Indians (11-13)
LHP Cliff Lee (2-1, 3.03 ERA) v. RHP Trevor Bauer (0-1, 5.40 ERA)
TIME: 7:05, Progressive Field
TV: Comcast SportsNet
Weather: 62, clear
Media: Twitter and Facebook
Behind Cliff Lee, the Phillies will look for redemption on Wednesday after being embarrassed by the Indians last night to the tune of a 14-2 score. The Indians, Lee’s original major league squad, are the only team that the left-hander has never faced. Lee came to the Phillies from Cleveland in 2009 for a haul of prospects – Carlos Carrasco, Jason Donald, Jason Knapp and Lou Marson – that has not translated into much at the major league level for the Indians.
Lee and the Cleveland offense have been trending in opposite directions of late. The Phillies have lost Lee’s last three outings. In his previous two, he has given up a combined eight earned runs in 12 innings of work. Still, Lee heads into his sixth start tonight sporting an impressive 3.03 ERA and a typically brilliant 6-to-1 strikeout-to-walk ratio.
Meanwhile, the Indians offense has scored 33 runs in the last three games. That is not a typo. They teed off on Roy Halladay and the Phils middle relief last night, blasting seven home runs, none of which were cheap. Outfielder Ryan Raburn has four home runs on the season, all of which have come in the last two games. As a right-handed bat, he is sure to be in the lineup tonight against Lee. Luckily for the Phils, Lee has had success as a stopper of sorts thus far this year. After Halladay’s first two starts of the season, both horrendous, Lee pitched brilliantly en route to Phillies victories.
The Philadelphia offense will face Indians phenom Trevor Bauer, called up to make his sixth career start because of Cleveland’s doubleheader last Sunday. Bauer walked seven Rays in five innings in a 6-0 loss in his only start this season, but showed better command once back in Triple-A. With Carlos Ruiz and Delmon Young in tow, the Phillies offense is finally fully intact. Against the 22-year-old Bauer, who was the third overall pick in the 2011 MLB draft, they need to have a better showing than they did last night.
Lineup: Rollins SS, M. Young 3B, Utley 2B, Howard 1B, D. Young DH, Brown LF, Ruiz C, Nix RF, Revere CF, Lee P
GAMEDAY BEER: Great Lakes Brewing Co. Eliot Ness
Yesterday we highlighted Great Lakes’ Dortmunder Gold. This classic brewery, undoubtedly Cleveland’s best, is also known for its popular Eliot Ness, named in tribute to the Prohibition agent who ended his career in Cleveland. As the legend goes, Ness frequented the establishment that originally existed in the brewery’s current home.
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