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Lee closes out August on high note as Phils down Reds again

Sep 1, 2011 - 5:17 AM Cincinnati, OH (Sports Network) - Cliff Lee capped off an outstanding month of August by pitching into the ninth inning as the Philadelphia Phillies blanked the Cincinnati Reds again, 3-0, at Great American Ball Park.

Lee (15-7), who turned 33 on Tuesday, came within an out of recording his sixth shutout prior to the Reds loading the bases. Joey Votto doubled, Jay Bruce worked a walk -- the only one issued by Lee -- and Miguel Cairo was hit by a pitch.

Ryan Madson retired pinch-hitter Yonder Alonso on a pop in foul territory to earn his 25th save.

"I had a good changeup working tonight. I was working ahead in the count for the most part," Lee said.

Lee won each of his five starts this month, limiting the opposition to a pair of runs in 39 2/3 innings for a 0.45 ERA. The left-hander's performance rivaled his effort in June, when he compiled a 5-0 record with a 0.21 ERA.

Hunter Pence homered to begin the sixth for Philadelphia, which has taken the first three of this four-game series to move 40 games over .500 (86-46).

Dontrelle Willis (0-4) gave up three runs on five hits, walked five and fanned six in 6 2/3 frames for the Reds, who managed only four hits in Tuesday's 9-0 setback.

The Phillies plated a run in the first without a hit. Willis walked Shane Victorino and Placido Polanco to begin the contest. After a fielder's choice left men on the corners, Ryan Howard hit a grounder to Votto. The Cincinnati first baseman threw to second to initiate a potential double play. However, Willis and Brandon Phillips got crossed up over who would cover first and that enabled Howard to beat the throw and Victorino to score.

Willis managed to pitch out of a bases-loaded jam in the second and retired Carlos Ruiz on a fly ball after issuing consecutive two-out walks in the third.

Ahead 2-0, the Phillies added another run in the seventh. Victorino led off with a walk, advanced to third base on a Polanco single and scored on another fielder's choice, this time from Chase Utley.

"Not only did we not score, the two leadoff walks end up scoring Victorino twice," said Cincinnati manager Dusty Baker.

Game Notes

The Phillies notched their MLB-best 19th shutout of the season...Lee recorded seven strikeouts in his first outing since August 22 because of rainouts and off days while extending his scoreless streak on the road to 30 2/3 innings...The Phillies have won nine of their last 10 series away from home...Ruiz went 3-for-4 on Wednesday and now has hit safely in 12 straight games against Cincinnati...Phillips had his hitting streak halted at 13 games after going 0-for-4...Willis made his first start against the Phillies since September 9, 2007, when he was a member of the Florida Marlins...The Phillies acquired outfielder John Bowker from the Pittsburgh Pirates in exchange for a player to be named later or cash considerations on Wednesday. The club opened a spot on the 25-man roster by optioning pitcher Michael Schwimer to Triple-A Lehigh Valley and cleared room on the 40-man roster by transferring pitcher Jose Contreras to the 60-day disabled list.