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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Saturday, August 1, 2009

Lee sparkles in Phillies debut


    Associated Press

     • White Sox acquire injured Padres ace
    Hawaii news photo - The Honolulu Advertiser

    Philadelphia's Cliff Lee fired a four-hitter in beating host San Francisco, 5-1.

    JEFF CHIU | Associated Press

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    SAN FRANCISCO — Cliff Lee had no-hit stuff. He wasn't exactly rooting for a no-no, however. Not just yet.

    "I'm kind of glad I didn't throw a no-hitter," Lee said following a fabulous debut for the Philadelphia Phillies. "If I did that the first time, I'd have to live up to some high expectations."

    What a way for the reigning AL Cy Young Award winner to start his days in the National League.

    Lee pitched a four-hitter, carrying a no-hit bid into the sixth inning and even adding two hits with the bat, and the Phillies felt an immediate impact two days after acquiring the left-hander from Cleveland, beating the San Francisco Giants, 5-1, last night.

    "That was a good one, huh?" Phillies reliever Tyler Walker said, chuckling at Lee's dominance. "Good trade."

    Jayson Werth homered to put Philadelphia ahead early and added a two-run single in the seventh, Raul Ibanez drew a bases-loaded walk in the seventh for an insurance run and Lee did the rest.

    He tossed his 11th career complete game. Lee's line: one run, six strikeouts, two walks, 109 pitches and 78 strikes.

    Lee (1-0) faced the minimum through five and didn't allow a hit until Juan Uribe doubled with one out in the sixth.

    Lee doubled in the eighth for his first career extra-base hit and that gave him his first multihit game, doubling his previous career hit total.

    "This guy won a Cy Young last year," San Francisco skipper Bruce Bochy said. "He was on top of his game, and when he is you have your work cut out for you."

    PADRES 11, BREWERS 7

    David Eckstein drove in three runs and host San Diego came back from a six-run deficit to beat Milwaukee and win its fourth straight. On the same day the Padres dealt ace right-hander Jake Peavy to the Chicago White Sox, their offense put up season highs with 11 runs and 17 hits.

    DODGERS 5, BRAVES 0

    Jason Schmidt (2-1) and three relievers combined on a three-hitter, and Andre Ethier hit a three-run homer and drove in four runs as visiting Los Angeles beat Atlanta. Schmidt allowed one hit, walked five and struck out three in six innings.

    CARDINALS 4, ASTROS 3

    Matt Holliday had four hits for the second time in his eight games as host St. Louis beat Houston. Holliday's RBI double off Alberto Arias (2-1) tied it in the eighth. He advanced to third on a wild pitch and Ryan Ludwick was intentionally walked before Rick Ankiel's opposite-field hit helped the Cardinals win it.

    DIAMONDBACKS 3, METS 2

    Justin Upton scored the go-ahead run on a wild pitch in the eighth inning as visiting Arizona beat New York. Mark Reynolds and Miguel Montero homered for the Diamondbacks, while David Wright and Daniel Murphy homered for New York.

    MARLINS 5, CUBS 2

    John Baker drove in the go-ahead run with a two-out single in the eighth inning off Carlos Marmol (2-2) as host Florida beat Chicago. Pinch-hitter Wes Helms followed Baker with a two-run double off Sean Marshall.

    ROCKIES 5, REDS 3

    Chris Iannetta and Carlos Gonzalez hit home runs on consecutive pitches from David Weathers (2-3) to lead off the eighth as visiting Colorado beat Cincinnati. Joey Votto and Brandon Phillips tied the game at 3 with back-to-back homers in the sixth.

    PIRATES 5, NATIONALS 4

    Steve Pearce hit his first homer of the season and Lastings Milledge had two RBI singles in his Pittsburgh debut as the host Pirates beat Washington. Ross Ohlendorf (9-8) allowed two runs and six hits in 6 1/3 innings for Pittsburgh.

    AMERICAN LEAGUE

    INDIANS 6, TIGERS 5

    Jamey Carroll's RBI single in the 13th inning lifted host Cleveland over Detroit. Carroll sliced his single off rookie Casey Fien (0-1) just inside the first-base bag to score Jhonny Peralta, who opened the 13th with a double.

    ANGELS 11, TWINS 5, 11 INNINGS

    Howie Kendrick's pinch-hit RBI single started Los Angeles' six-run 11th inning and the Angels recorded their major league-leading 34th comeback victory by beating host Minnesota. The Angels had six hits and two walks against three Minnesota relievers before making an out in the 11th inning.

    RED SOX 6, ORIOLES 5

    Kevin Youkilis put Boston ahead with a two-run homer in the seventh inning, and David Ortiz and Jacoby Ellsbury also connected against host Baltimore. John Smoltz (2-4) earned his second victory in seven starts for Boston despite allowing five runs and eight hits in six innings.

    WHITE SOX 10, YANKEES 5

    Carlos Quentin homered and had a go-ahead RBI double and Chris Getz delivered a two-run, bases-loaded single as host Chicago beat New York. Chicago broke a 5-5 tie in the fifth on Quentin's RBI double off David Robertson (1-1). The White Sox added four in the seventh off Alfredo Aceves.

    RAYS 8, ROYALS 2

    David Price allowed one run over seven innings and Carlos Pena hit a three-run homer to lead host Tampa Bay over Kansas City. Price (4-4) gave up five hits and improved to 4-1 at home this year. Pena put the Rays up 3-0 on an opposite-field shot off the left-field pole in the first.

    RANGERS 5, MARINERS 4

    Marlon Byrd's three-run homer in the fifth inning off Jason Vargas (3-5) broke a 2-2 tie and sent host Texas over Seattle. Vicente Padilla (8-5) allowed three runs and six hits in six innings in his first appearance since July 17, his last start before he was diagnosed with swine flu.

    ATHLETICS 8, BLUE JAYS 5

    Ryan Sweeney drove in three runs for host Oakland against Toronto, and Dallas Braden won for the first time in four starts. Braden (8-9) gave up five runs in 6 2/3 innings, but the left-hander hung around long enough to win for the first time since July 11.