Lee fans 12 but D-backs beat Phillies 4-0

[April 27, 2011]  PHOENIX (AP) -- Cliff Lee said he felt better on the mound than he has all season. Almost any night, that would mean an automatic Philadelphia win.

Not Monday night against new father Ian Kennedy. The Arizona right-hander threw a three-hitter in the first complete game of his career and the Diamondbacks won 4-0 to snap the Phillies' five-game winning streak.

"To shut our lineup down like that, he was definitely doing something right," Lee said. `I wouldn't expect him to go nine innings without giving up a run. That's impressive."

Lee gave up first-pitch home runs to Chris Young and Gerardo Parra in an otherwise strong performance.

"They ambushed a couple of first pitches and hit homers," Lee said. "Considering how Kennedy pitched, that was the game."

The Diamondbacks snapped a four-game skid as they opened a 10-game home stand after being swept in three games by the Mets in New York.

Kennedy (3-1) struck out 10 -- including Jimmy Rollins to end the game -- and walked none.

"He wasn't do nothing cute or nothing like that," Philadelphia manager Charlie Manuel said of Kennedy, "he was just pitching."

Kennedy had come home early from the team's trip for the delivery of he and his wife's' first child, Nora Rose, at 2:04 a.m. on Sunday.

"Some people thought I wouldn't be ready to pitch today but I knew I could do it," he said. "I got seven hours of sleep last night, my wife was kind enough to let me sleep through (the day). I was just hoping to get through six innings, throwing a lot of strikes."

Chris Young and Gerardo Parra homered off Lee, both on the first pitch of an at-bat. Lee (2-2) gave up four runs on five hits in seven innings, matching his season high with 12 strikeouts, one shy of his career high, and walking one.

"The one to Young (a fastball) had a little more of the plate than I like but still I want to be aggressive, I want to throw strikes and get ahead in the count," Lee said. "He put a good swing on it. The other homer (a cut fastball), I'll take that pitch every time. I mean, I just have to tip my hat on that one."

Placido Polanco doubled and singled for the Phillies in a game that went just 2 hours, four minutes. The only other hit off Kennedy was Rollins' ground ball off the glove of second baseman Kelly Johnson that easily could have been ruled an error. Run scoring has been a problem for Philadelphia, despite the team's early success.

"We've just got to keep going to work on it," Manuel said. "Either we're going to do it or we're not. We're going to keep working. We've got to fight every day,"

Xavier Nady had an RBI single in the sixth after Justin Upton drew just the fourth walk Lee has allowed this season, then stole second.

Kennedy, making his 49th career start, had allowed a run on four hits in 5 1-3 innings in his previous outing, a 3-1 victory at Cincinnati.

Lee was perfect through the first two innings but gave up a leadoff single to Ryan Roberts in the third. He struck out Parra and Kennedy to bring up Young, who had never faced the Phillies ace before popping out to second to start Arizona's first inning.

Young, two for his previous 26 at bats, hit a shot onto the porch above the 413-foot sign in left-center to put Arizona up 2-0.

Parra's solo homer came after Roberts hit one to the right field fence that was caught by Ben Francisco for the first out in the fifth. Parra's homer, into the left field seats, was only the ninth of his three-year career. He had three last season and five in 2009.

Arizona added a run in the fourth when Upton walked and stole second. Stephen Drew struck out for the third time, strongly arguing the called third strike with home plate umpire Bob Davidson, then Nady singled between third and shortstop to bring Upton home and make it 4-0.

NOTES: RHP Michael Stutes pitched a scoreless inning of relief in his major league debut after Philadelphia purchased his contract from Triple-A Lehigh Valley. He took the roster spot made vacant when closer Jose Contreras went on the 15-day DL with a strained elbow. Contreras is to have an MRI in Philadelphia on Tuesday. ... The Phillies conclude a seven-game trip West in Arizona after going 4-0 in San Diego. ... Philadelphia has not scored more than four runs in any of its last 14 games. ... After three against the Phillies, the Diamondbacks play the Cubs three times then wrap up the home stand with three against Colorado.

[Associated Press; By BOB BAUM]

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