Lee earns ninth win as Phils defeat Nats

June 19, 2013

Box Score (From ESPN.com)

By Nick Tricome

Consistency has been an issue for the Phillies so far this season, but there is at least a good chance of seeing a win every five days.


Cliff Lee earned his ninth win of the year in a 4-2 defeat of the Washington Nationals on Tuesday night.

Once again, Lee put together another great start. Only two earned runs (both solo home runs) were allowed off five hits in eight innings of work. Lee also struck out nine Washington batters.

At the plate, the Phillies responded after Jayson Werth hit a solo home run in the fourth to give the Nationals a 1-0 lead.

With Michael Young on third from a double and a sacrifice bunt from Jimmy Rollins, Ryan Howard hit a sacrifice fly to right.

Young was able to score from third to tie the game up at one in the bottom half of the fourth.

In the sixth, after Ben Revere singled on a bunt, Young doubled again to score Revere and give the Phillies a 2-1 lead.

Later in the sixth, with the bases loaded, Kevin Frandsen added some insurance.

Frandsen singled into left field, scoring Young from third and Rollins from second. The Phillies now had a 4-1 lead and had effectively ended Ross Detwiler, who started for the Nationals, night.

Detwiler finished the inning to pitch the even six. It wasn't a bad start, but the four runs allowed off of seven hits proved to be to much for Washington to come back from with the way Lee was pitching on the mound.

Jeff Kobernus hit his first home run in the eighth (a solo shot to left) but that was all the Nationals could muster against Cliff Lee.

Jonathan Papelbon came in to close in the ninth, ending the game pretty quickly.

Just one night after blowing his first save of the season, Papelbon allowed just one hit to earn his 14th save of 2013.

The Phillies brought their record up to 35-37, tying them with Washington (34-36) for second in the National League East.

The Phillies have a chance to go for the sweep, and take control over second in the division, on Wednesday night.

Kyle Kendrick (6-4, 3.76 ERA) will be on the mound against the Nationals' Gio Gonzalez (3-3, 3.40 ERA)

Notables: Carlos Ruiz returned to the lineup Tuesday night, after being out since May 19 with a hamstring strain. Ruiz batted eighth and hit a single to go 1-for-3 in his return.

(Image from Philly.com)