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Lee dazzles as Phillies blank Dodgers

Apr 22, 2014 - 6:33 AM Los Angeles, CA (SportsNetwork.com) - Cliff Lee hurled eight innings of scoreless ball and struck out 10 to help the Philadelphia Phillies blank the Los Angeles Dodgers, 7-0, on Monday in the opener of a four-game set.

Lee (3-2) was the tough-luck loser in his last start against the Atlanta Braves, throwing a complete game with 13 strikeouts in a 1-0 loss on Wednesday.

Including the postseason, Lee entered the game against the Dodgers with a 3-2 record, a 1.48 ERA and a 0.77 WHIP in eight career starts. He tallied his 30th double-digit strikeout game of his career and was the first Phillies starter to record a win in the last 13 games.

Carlos Ruiz homered and drove in four runs and Ryan Howard stayed hot with a two-run homer in Philadelphia's second straight win.

Howard went 4-for-5 with three RBI in Sunday's win and finished a double shy of the cycle.

Adrian Gonzalez was the lone bright spot for LA, which was held to just four hits. Gonzalez extended his hitting streak to 16 games in the setback.

Los Angeles starter Paul Maholm (0-2) was charged with five runs -- four earned -- in five innings of work with two strikeouts and three walks.

"It was frustrating just going through a long first inning, battling, not having your stuff, and doing everything possible to get deep into the game," Maholm said.

Tony Gwynn Jr. walked to lead off the game and Jimmy Rollins followed with a single to right. Chase Utley then flied out to center before Carlos Ruiz slapped a double into right that scored Gwynn and Rollins.

"That was huge. An early lead is definitely good for the pitcher," Lee said.

Ruiz walked with two outs in the fifth and Howard blasted a towering two-run shot to center to push the lead to 4-0. John Mayberry Jr. and Domonic Brown each singled after Howard's round-tripper and Freddy Galvis reached on a throwing error by Maholm that allowed Mayberry to cross home.

Ruiz added on with a two-run homer in the top of the ninth to increase the cushion.

Lee retired 20 straight batters before Tim Federowicz singled to center with two outs in the eighth. Dee Gordon weakly grounded out to Lee to end the inning and Jeff Manship struck out one in a scoreless ninth to close it out for the Phillies.

Game Notes

LA was just 1-for-2 with runners in scoring position and stranded four men on base ... Philadelphia went 2-for-9 with RISP ... Lee has walked two batters in five starts this season ... Yasiel Puig and Matt Kemp each accounted for the other two hits for the Dodgers.