When the New York Mets come to town, you can usually expect a fierce, intense rivalry,
with Mets fans coming into Citizens Bank Park looking to steal a few wins. However, with Cliff Lee on the mound against a rookie in the Mets Dillon Gee, this game was anything but usual, and by the 3rd inning it was evident the Mets would have no chance tonight. The Phillies would go on to score 10 runs, but they would show no mercy, allowing the Mets to get just five hits all game. No matter which way you look at it, this game was dominated by the Phillies.
The Phillies started scoring in the 2nd inning when Wilson Valdez singled, followed by a triple by Shane Victorino, giving the Phillies a three run lead. John Mayberry Jr. would join in on the action the next inning, smashing a Dillon Gee offering to left field, giving the Phillies five runs. The runs wouldn’t stop though, as the Phillies would get five more topped off with Hunter Pence’s 16th home run, a moonshot that scored Ryan Howard. The Phillies earned 11 hits from eight different players, definitely a good sign for the team’s offense.
One of the players who contributed to those 11 hits was Cliff Lee, who also pitched tremendously, allowing just three hits over the seven innings he pitched. He was able to strike out seven batters while only walking three on a night where he showed total control. The seven inning shutout lowers Lee’s August ERA to a microscopic 0.58, a number comparable to his incredible June ERA of 0.21, a month where he won pitcher of the month. Lee has been nothing short of incredible at times this year, and the Phillies will need him to keep up the performance if they want to go far in the playoffs.
Tonight’s performance by the Phillies was great, however, games like this should be expected more often. The Phillies realistically have the best team money can buy, showcasing three if not four of the game’s best pitchers at the moment. Coupled with an incredible lineup made even better by Hunter Pence, a 10-0 win over a team that is now mediocre at best should be routine. Now, obviously it’s ridiculous to expect these types of games all the time, but the point is that this team is the real deal. Teams like the Phillies team this year are very rare, and this success is something that doesn’t come around often. However, with the way this team is playing, fans might as well get excited and expect great things for this team, because with a team like this, the sky is the limit.