Writer: Kevin Durso
Lee struggles as Cardinals blank Phillies
Kevin have been writing for Sports Talk Philly since 2011. Currently editor and lead writer of Philadelphia Flyers coverage. He is also Flyers insider for 97.3 ESPN-FM in South Jersey, a Flyers writer for Last Word On Hockey, and the host of the Flyers Files Podcast on BFA Live Sports. Kevin graduated from Cabrini University in 2014.
All posts by Kevin DursoPublished20 Apr 2013
Carlos Beltran hit his third home run of the series in the fifth inning.
The Phillies used a big inning of Friday night to coast to a win. On Saturday, it was the Cardinals doing the same.
Backed by a solid pitching performance from Lance Lynn, the Cardinals jumped on a shaky Cliff Lee and made the Phillies pay for another silent night from the offense and Lee's lack of command.
When it was all over, the Phillies had been shut out for the second time this week and this season, falling to the Cardinals, 5-0, on Saturday night at Citizens Bank Park.
Neither starter had the best command, but both made it work through two scoreless frames. That lack of command finally caught up to Lee in the third.
Pete Kozma walked to lead off the inning. Shane Robinson worked a one-out walk. Matt Holliday worked a two-out walk to load the bases. Allen Craig followed with a sharp line drive up the middle for a two-run single.
Lee got a ground ball from Yadier Molina that could have ended the inning. But Chase Utley broke the wrong way on the grounder and it rolled into right field, scoring another run. David Freese followed with an RBI single as well to cap the four-run inning.
Carlos Beltran led off the fifth inning with a solo home run to left-center.
The Phillies didn't have a hit off Lynn after four innings. John Mayberry Jr. led off the fifth inning with a double, breaking up the no-hit bid. But that still couldn't spark the Phillies' offense, and for the sixth time in seven games, the Phillies went through six innings without a run.
It didn't stop there as Lynn lasted seven shutout inning, and the Cardinals bullpen of Trevor Rosenthal and Mitchell Boggs combined for a three-hit shutout.
The Phillies dropped to 7-11 as a result.
The Phillies can still manage to split the series with a win in Sunday night's game against the Cardinals. Kyle Kendrick starts against Jake Westbrook in an 8:05 start.
Kevin Durso is a contributor for Philliedelphia. You can follow him on twitter @KDursoPhilsNet.
