Lee is Completely Taking Care of Business, Phillies beat Nationals 5-0

For [Cliff] Lee a confidence boosting performance tonight would be a great sight to see.
- Macho Row, Preview Game 142: Phillies vs. Nationals

You want a confidence boosting performance? Cliff Lee delivered on that last night in tremendous fashion. Lee pitched a complete game shut out against the woeful Washington Nationals as the Phillies cruised to a victory, 6-0.

The Phillies offense gave their starter all the run support he would need in the bottom of the first inning. After Jimmy Rollins lead the inning off with a double to right field, Shane Victorino put down a sacrifice bunt to advance Rollins to third. Chase Utley's shallow single to right field scored Rollins before the inning ended.

One run was all Lee needed, but the Phillies put four more runs on the board in the very next inning. Carlos Ruiz had the hit of the game. With the bases loaded on the first three batters of the second inning, Ruiz brought them all home with a double down the left field line. Raul Ibanez, Jayson Werth and Pedro Feliz all scored to put the Phillies up 4-0, and Rollins brought Ruiz home with a a single to center field. Ruiz charged home and scored to put the Phillies up 5-0.

From that point on Nationals starting pitcher Garrett Mock settled down and lasted six innings and kept the Phillies off the scoreboard after the quick outburst. For the game the Phillies struck out just three times.

This is the Lee the Phillies will want come playoff time. Consider this as a caution though - it is one thing to pitch like Lee did against the Nationals and it is another to pitch that way against the Dodgers, Rockies, or Cardinals; all of whom could be possible playoff opponents in October, should the Phillies hold on to the NL East lead.

Winning games like these are what the Phillies must do coming down the stretch. When they were going through their latest rut they essentially played themselves out of position to control their own destiny in regards for home field advantage in the National League playoffs. Now they have some ground to make up on the Dodgers and Cardinals, who are both ahead of them and can control their own home field possibilities in the first round.

Magic Number: 12
If you have been reading Macho Row with any regularity then you likely know how we have been following the magic number by paying tribute to the Phillies of the past (and present) in our own somewhat unique way. Starting tonight the magic number will be incorporated into the nightly game recaps, regardless of what happens. When it does change the usual posts will still be published so fear not!

With the victory the Phillies make another notch in the magic number to clinch a third straight NL East division title, a feat never before accomplished by the franchise. You can read more about the current magic number here.