Cliff Lee Throws Complete Game Shutout, Philadelphia Phillies 5, Washington Nationals 0.

A Tale Of Two Pitchers...

Garrett Mock needed 48 pitches to get through the first two innings against the Philadelphia Phillies, over which the Washington Nationals' starter allowed 6 hits (3 doubles, 3 singles), 1 walk and 5 ER, on an RBI single by Chase Utley in the first, a bases-clearing double by Carlos Ruiz in the second, and a two-out single by Jimmy Rollins, (who scored on Utley's first-inning single), to make it 5-0 Philly after two. With the pressure off, the Nationals’ 26-year-old right-hander let just three runners on over the next four innings, ending the night after having thrown 107 pitches in 6.0 innings in which he surrendered 7 hits, 2 walks and 5 ER....

Cliff Lee, on the other hand, dominated the Nationals, throwing a complete game 6-hit shutout in which he walked 3 and K'd 9, collecting his fourteenth win, (14-11), and lowering his ERA to an even 3.00 with a 124-pitch performance in Citizens Bank Park. Lee gave up a leadoff double to Josh Bard in the third, but Alberto Gonzalez followed with a grounder to Utley at second with Bard running on contact and the slow-footed catcher was tagged out at third. The Nationals moved Gonzalez up with a sac bunt, but a Justin Maxwell grounder hit Gonzalez's leg to end any thought of a threat. The only other push the Nationals made came in the fourth when Lee allowed walks #40-41-42 in 216.0 IP on the season to load the bases before with two down before striking out Josh Bard with two sliders and a two-strike curve. The Nationals manage 4 more singles over the next five innings, but fail to score on Lee, who notches the 13th complete game and the 4th shutout of his 8-year MLB career...since being selected by the Montreal Expos in the 2000 Draft...

Phillies win, 5-0 final. 

Miss The Game, The DC Faithful Were Watching.

Check Out The SB Nation's Philadelphia Phillies Blog: The Good Phight GameThread.

"Game 144: The Nats run away from it..." - by Doghouse.

BACKPAGE:

E: 122.

Strasburg Florida Bound.

Flores? Out 3-6 Months? (Separate Post: HERE)

For The Completists, Full Game Report After The JUMP....

Nationals now 50-94. (Countdown To 100 Losses Stands At...6)

E: 123. - Philly shortstop Jimmy Rollins grounds sharply to first for what should be the third out of the fourth, but the ball eats up Adam Dunn and his oversized glove. Rollins takes second while Dunn sprints after the ball. Dunn's 14th error of 2009 is the MLB-Leading Nationals' 123rd in 144 games...Just think, with a few bounces, they could have made one error a game...uh...

Strasburg Florida Bound.

Pitchers: Stephen Strasburg, Drew Storen, Josh Smoker, A.J. Morris, Graham Hicks, Cleto Brazoban, OF: J.P. Ramirez, Destin Hood, Michael Burgess, IF: Jeff Kobernus, C: Adrian Nieto, those are the names that jumped out for me in the list that Washington Post writer Chico Harlan included in a Nationals Journal post today entitled, "Roster For Florida Instructional League", which announced the roster that will play a, "15-game schedule (which) begins on Sept. 24." Check the link above or click HERE for the full list.

GAME REPORT:

Washington Nationals At Philadelphia Phillies. Game 144 Of 162.

Justin Maxwell gets a diving 1-2 curve from Cliff Lee and K’s swinging a good foot above it. Cristian Guzman swings waaay ahead of a two-strike change. Ryan Zimmerman fouls strike three into the catcher’s mitt...Jimmy Rollins doubles off the base of the right field wall off Garrett Mock. Shane Victorino drops a bunt in front of the plate for Josh Bard to handle. Rollins to third. Chase Utley sneaks a blooper over the shift for an RBI single to right. 1-0 Phillies. The Nationals are in the shift again with Ryan Howard up, and they get the rare Alberto Gonzalez to Ryan Zimmerman to Adam Dunn double play.

Adam Dunn flies out to the right field warning track. Shane Victorino slowly steps back toward the wall to catch Josh Willingham’s fly ball to center. Elijah Dukes takes the first pitch to deep center, for Victorino again...Raul Ibanez rips a liner by Zimmerman at third for a leadoff double in front of Werth. Jayson Werth drops a bloop single over second to move Ibanez to third. Pedro Feliz walks to load the bases and Carlos Ruiz knocks in three with a hard-hit grounder into the left field corner for a 4-0 lead. Justin Maxwell slides in over the grass to catch a fly ball from Cliff Lee. Jimmy Rollins singles back up the middle to score Ruiz, 5-0 Phillies. Shane Victorino grounds into a force at second. Chase Utley flies out to left to end the second.

Josh Bard lines a double to center that gets by Victorino and reaches the wall. Alberto Gonzalez grounds to second, Utley throws to third to catch Bard, who was running on contact. Garrett Mock bunts Gonzalez over to second. Justin Maxwell grounds to short and it hits Alberto Gonzalez, who’s out...Ryan Howard grounds out to Dunn at first. Raul Ibanez grounds out to Gonzalez at second. Jayson Werth lines a 3-1 fastball to left field for a two-out single. Pedro Feliz takes a fastball inside for a called strike three.

Cristian Guzman leads off the fourth with a walk from Lee which is so improbable it hurts. Ryan Zimmerman flies out unproductively to right. Adam Dunn takes a one-out walk. Josh Willingham K’s trying to hold up on a two-strike curve that drops out of the air. Elijah Dukes uses his Discerning Eye to draw a two-out walk in front of Bard. Josh Bard K’s swinging over an 0-2 bender. 5-0 Phillies...Carlos Ruiz sends a long fly ball to left, Willingham leaps at the wall to make the grab. Cliff Lee grounds out to second. Adam Dunn misplays a grounder from Jimmy Rollins, who’s standing on second when Dunn collects it. Victorino grounds to second.

Alberto Gonzalez lines out to right field. Garrett Mock hits a grounder up the middle and he’s safe at first when Utley throws it away, but Carlos Ruiz is backing up first and he throws Mock out by three steps at second. Justin Maxwell flies out to end DC’s fifth...Chase Utley flies out to left center. Ryan Howard rips a one-hopper to first for Adam Dunn to handle. Jayson Werth flies out to Maxwell in center to end the fifth.

Cristian Guzman starts the sixth with a line drive right at Jimmy Rollins. Ryan Zimmerman’s bat breaks in half when he grounds out to second. Adam Dunn lifts a single over the shift with two down to bring up Josh Willingham. Willingham grounds out to short on a 1-0 pitch from Cliff Lee...5-0 Philly in the sixth...Pedro Feliz barely connects with a change that ends up rolling out to first. Carlos Ruiz lines to center, Justin Maxwell sprints in and dives forward to rob Ruiz of a single. Mock gets the opposing pitcher looking at an 0-2 bender.

Elijah Dukes vs Cliff Lee in the seventh. Dukes grounds out to Jimmy Rollins. Josh Bard takes a two-strike fastball. Alberto Gonzalez reaches down for a curve but just grounds out to third...Saul Rivera starts the bottom of the seventh against Jimmy Rollins. Ground ball out to first from Rollins. Shane Victorino grounds softly to short and reaches ahead of Guzman’s throw. Ron Villone replaces Rivera. Chase Utley grounds out to first to move Victorino up. Villone walks Ryan Howard with two down. Raul Ibanez grounds weakly to short, and claims it was off his foot.

Mike Morse K’s swinging over a two-strike curve. Justin Maxwell hits a one-out single to center for just the 5th hit off Cliff Lee. Cristian Guzman flies out to center. Ryan Zimmerman flies out again...Logan Kensing’s on in the eight for DC against Jayson Werth. Werth lines a fastball to center to start Philly’s eighth. Pedro Feliz grounds to short, Zimmerman to Alberto Gonzalez to Dunn, double play. Carlos Ruiz doubles off the base of the left field wall and just beats Willingham’s throw back in. Cliff Lee takes strike three.

Cliff Lee gets a fly ball out to left from Adam Dunn to start the ninth. Josh Willingham keeps hope alive with a line drive single to left. Elijah Dukes takes a 1-2 fastball inside for a called strike three. Cliff Lee dials it up to get Josh Bard swinging to end the complete game 5-0 shutout.

Nationals now 50-94.