Lee Sharp, Offense Struggles in 4-2 Loss to Reds

We had ourselves a pitcher's duel tonight on this Jackie Robinson Day in Cincinnati between Cliff Lee and Bronson Arroyo.

(.Gif file courtesy of Eliot on Twitter)

Lee, backed by some stellar offense in center field (and possibly the best play of the year), was dominating the Reds tonight. The story was the same for one Bronson Arroyo, who ran into no problems in the Phillies' lineup.

It wasn't until the seventh inning that a run would score. Unfortunately, it would be the Reds to take a 2-0 lead. Joey Votto singled, followed directly by a double from Brandon Phillips. Lee tossed a wild pitch which allowed Votto to score, and Phillips came home on a sacrifice fly from Todd Frazier. Lee wrapped up the inning with a double play, and the seventh would be his last inning.

Cliff Lee's line: 7 IP, 2 ER, 5 H, 1 BB, 4 K.  He tossed 96 pitches, 70 for strikes. Lee's only walk came in the bottom of the seventh, and it was his first walk allowed this season.

In the top of the eighth, Domonic Brown singled to lead off the inning. Chase Utley came in to pinch-hit and shot a two-run homer to center field to tie the ballgame at two.

Jeremy Horst came in for the eighth inning and made it really ugly really fast. Derrick Robinson singled, followed by a double from Zack Cozart. After intentionally walking Joey Votto to load the bases, Horst would get the hook for Mike Adams. 

Adams allowed a single to Phillips which scored Robinson and Cozart. Jay Bruce singled to load the bases again, but Adams made it out of the inning with a pop-up from Chris Heisey.

Aroldis Chapman came in for the top of the ninth against the Phils with a 4-2 lead. With two outs, Ryan Howard ended the ballgame by striking out on a 100 MPH fastball. Phils drop this one, 4-2. 

Kyle Kendrick will take the mound tomorrow night at 7:10 against Homer Bailey and the Reds.