Cliff Lee looked every bit the free-agent catch of the off-season Monday night.
The Phillies No. 2 ace struck out 10 Dodgers while spreading seven hits and a walk over seven scoreless innings against the Dodgers as the Phillies held on for a 3-1 win.
Lee, who now leads the Majors with 100 Ks (teammate Roy Halladay is second with 97) tried to sum up his sudden surge of strikeouts.
"Swinging and missing more," he said. "I'm not trying to strike guys out at all. I'm trying to get them out as quick as possible. For whatever reason, it's kind of gone that way."
Lee (5-5) utilized a possibly large strike zone from home plate ump Mark Carlson to baffle the Dodgers. L.A.’s frustrations with the large zone were no more evident then when veteran Casey Blake got the hook for arguing a called third strike that ended the top of the sixth.
The Phillies bats were once again fairly quiet -- failing to homer -- but all the offense Lee needed came in the third when Placido Polanco and Ryan Howard singled home runs off Dodgers starter Ted Lilly (4-5).
The Phils added an insurance run with a Carlos Ruiz RBI double in the eighth.
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Ryan Madson gave up a run in the ninth but held on for his 13th save in 13 tries.
The Phillies (36-24) improved to 20-10 at Citizens Bank Park this season. The same team battle Tuesday night as Roy Oswalt (3-3, 2.70 ERA) faces L.A. rookie Rubby De La Rosa (1-0, 1.80).
