Lee Tough Luck Loser as Teheran Shuts Out Phillies
Cliff Lee scattered 11 hits, and allowed just one run to the Braves on Wednesday night, but was the victim of no run support as Julio Teheran and the Braves shut out the Phillies in the second game of their three-game set.
Cliff Lee pitched a complete game with 13 Ks, but the Phillies were shut out by the young right-hander Julio Teheran on Wednesday. PHOTO: AP
“Historic-Lee” Incredible, Strange Outing
-Lee pitched all nine innings Wednesday, yielding just a solo homer to Evan Gattis that barely cleared the left-field wall. He scattered 11 hits, walked just one, and struck out 13. It was the ninth time since 2011 Lee has had a dozen or more strikeouts in a game, which is the most in the majors over that span, and it is the third straight game against Atlanta that he has recorded at least 10 strikeouts.
He now has 21 double-digit strikeout games as a Phillie, which in just 108 games already puts him at fifth on the Phillies’ all time list in that category, behind Steve Carlton, Curt Schilling, Jim Bunning, Cole Hamels. Nine of those games have yielded a dozen or more strikeouts, and in those nine games his K/BB ratio is 23/1.
But, despite the valiant performance, Lee lost suffered the loss- his fourth complete game loss of his career. He is the first pitcher to lose a game with at least 128 pitches (new career high for Lee, previously 126 ) and 13 Ks since Pedro Martinez accomplished that on May 6, 2000. According to our own Corey Seidman, Lee is also the only pitcher in MLB history to lose 2 games in which he’s allowed 1 run and struck out 13+ batters.
Hitless Against Julio
-Well, nearly hitless. Teheran allowed just three hits in the game to the Phillies, all of them singles. They did not get their first hit until the fifth, when Ryan Howard beat out an infield dribbler to second (yes, you read correctly). Carlos Ruiz and Jimmy Rollins also singled in the game. Rollins’ hit brought the winning run to the plate with two outs in the ninth in the form of Chase Utley, but he grounded out hard to second to end the game.
Teheran is now an owner of a 1.93 ERA and two wins, as he continues to impress in the early part of his sophomore campaign. Wednesday’s shutout was the first of his career.
Up Next
-The Phillies will try to salvage a game against the Braves Thursday afternoon, when they send A.J. Burnett (0-1, 3.94 ERA) to the hill against the southpaw Alex Wood (2-1, 1.89 ERA). Game time is at 1:05.
