Phils Host D-Backs
Philadelphia, PA – Cliff Lee’s transition to the National League has been seamless.
Lee looks to win his seventh straight start Wednesday when he and the Phillies continue a three-game home series with the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Oddsmakers from online sports book Sportsbook.com have made the Phillies -170 moneyline favorites for Wednesday’s game against the Diamondbacks. Current MLB Public Betting Information shows that 90% of more than 605 bets for this game have been placed on the Phillies -170.
Lee (3-0, 1.13 ERA) won his first three straight starts after the All-Star break with the Cleveland Indians, and has been just as dominant since being dealt to Philadelphia (67-49) on July 29.
The reigning AL Cy Young Award winner has given up three runs and 16 hits over 24 innings with his new club, striking out 23. He went eight innings against the Cubs in Chicago on Thursday, allowing one run while striking out eight in the 6-1 victory. He’s also posted victories against San Francisco and Colorado since joining the Phillies.
"Anytime you go out there and do your job effectively and give your team a chance, you have to be happy with that. I was able to do that today and I’ve done that since I’ve been here," said Lee, who has a 1.29 ERA in his last six starts.
"I’m really pleased with that and hopefully I can continue heading in that direction. … Hopefully we’ll get into the playoffs and once we get there there’s no telling what can happen. If we keep playing the way we are we’ll be in a good spot."
Lee’s arrival coincides with a big improvement in the ERA of the entire Philadelphia rotation. Phillies starters have a 3.19 ERA since July 31 – when the left-hander made his first start – after posting a 4.63 ERA in the first 100 games of the season.
A former starter led the Phillies to a 5-1 victory over Arizona (54-66) on Tuesday. After a 66-minute rain delay forced an early exit from Pedro Martinez, Jamie Moyer – who was unhappily demoted to the bullpen upon Martinez’s arrival – pitched six scoreless innings of relief to earn the win.
"Moyer did a tremendous job," manager Charlie Manuel said. "He stays ready all the time. He comes prepared to pitch."
Jayson Werth and Carlos Ruiz each drove in a pair of runs as Philadelphia won for the sixth time in seven games. Ruiz hit a solo home run in the sixth inning, giving the Phillies 14 homers in their last seven contests.
"That’s a good hitting team," Arizona starter Jon Garland said. "They’re going to do some damage and they did."
The loss was the Diamondbacks’ third straight. They are 3 for 16 with runners in scoring position, and are batting .188 overall with 28 strikeouts and just two walks during the skid. Stephen Drew homered for the second straight game and 11th time this season in Tuesday’s defeat.
Dan Haren (12-7, 2.50) will take the mound for Arizona on Wednesday.
Haren is coming off his best start in nearly a month after allowing one run in eight innings of a 4-1 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers on Friday. The right-hander had gone 1-2 with a 6.26 ERA in his previous four outings.
Haren is 0-2 with a 4.76 ERA in three career starts against the Phillies. He allowed three runs in five innings of a 4-3 home loss to them July 28.
Lee, meanwhile, is making his second start against Arizona and first since 2005, when he yielded four runs and eight hits in five innings of a 13-6 win while with the Indians.
Posted: 8/19/09 6:00AM ET
