Found October 18, 2009 on Macho Row: Yardbarker Blogger Network
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Cliff Lee gave the Phillies a franchise record worthy performancein game three of the NLCS. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)Cliff Lee dominates Dodgers for eight inningsNaturally there was an optimistic feeling for Phillies fans with Cliff Lee on the mound for game three Sunday night. And Lee did not disappoint, picking up the win in a complete team effort as the Phillies beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 11-0. The game three victory gives the Phillies a 2-1 lead in the NLCS with game four scheduled for Monday night.After Lee started the evening off with a quick 1-2-3 inning the Phillies were quick to jump on Dodgers starting pitcher Hiroki Kuroda. With runners on the corners in the bottom of the first Ryan Howard hit a triple down the right field line, putting the Phillies up 2-0. Jayson Werth followed with a towering home run to deep center field to give the Phillies a 4-0 lead with just one out.Lee kept the Dodgers from getting back in the game with a non-traditional 1-2-3 inning. Manny Ramirez hit a single to lead off the top of the second inning but Lee was able to get Matt Kemp to line out and James Loney to ground into a double play to end the inning.The Phillies increased their lead in the second inning when Jimmy Rollins doubled home Carlos Ruiz, which officially ended Kuroda's night. But the Phillies were not done quite yet. Howard picked up another run batted in when he hit a grounder to first base, but because of the dribbler Rollins was able to score to put the Phillies up 6-0. After that Dodgers manager Joe Torre was forced to use his third pitcher of the game, replacing Scott Elbert with Chad Billingsley. Billingsley was able to stop the bleeding for the time being and pitched 3.1 innings but even he was not immune to the Phillies bats.After cooling off a bit with Billingsley on the mound, the Phillies offense got back in gear in the fifth inning. Pedro Feliz followed Raul Ibanez's two out walk with a triple off the wall in right field. Ruiz followed with a single to score Feliz and give the Phillies a commanding 8-0 lead. A three run home run by Shane Victorino in the eighth inning put the Phillies up 11-0 and it was just a question as whether or not Lee would go for a complete game.Charlie Manuel opted to give Lee an early exit even after he batted in the bottom of the eighth inning. Chad Durbin was called on for the final three outs and he wasted no time getting the Phillies into the locker room with a win.Lee pitched eight innings and allowed just three hits and zero walks. Lee matched a franchise record of ten strike outs, previously held just by Curt Schilling, who did so in the 1993 World Series.Werth's home run was his third of the post season. The franchise record is six, held by Lenny Dyksyra from the 1993 post season.Ryan Howard is now the only player in major league history to record a run batted in in seven straight post season games.The Phillies now have a chance to take a commanding lead in the series Monday night. Joe Blanton will get the game four start Monday night and will be opposed by former Phillie Randy Wolf. First pitch is once again scheduled for 8:07 pm.

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