Phillies’ Lee goes distance against Nats, 4-0

What better way to sum up the Philadelphia Phillies’ quick (2:06) and simple 4-0 victory on Thursday night? Lee mesmerized the Washington Nationals, allowing three hits and one walk while striking out 12 before 24,875 at Nationals Park.

Lee (2-1), who entered with a 7.84 ERA, needed just 99 pitches. Growing stronger as the game progressed, the left-hander fanned seven of eight batters during one stretch of the sixth, seventh and eighth innings.

“He just got better and better,” Nats manager Jim Riggleman said. “I think the called strikeouts [five] is an indication that he just hit some spots that you just don’t feel like you can do much with the pitch.”

It was a second straight night of impotence from the Nats’ lineup. In a 3-2 loss Wednesday night, Washington got just six hits off Roy Halladay. The last time the Phillies got back-to-back complete games was 12 years ago.

“We’re going to have to beat pitchers like that,” Nats shortstop Ian Desmond said. “I don’t think anybody in here’s discouraged. Maybe a little bit frustrated.”

The positive for Washington (5-7) was the outing from Zimmerman (1-2), who is back after Tommy John surgery in August 2009. He set down the first 15 Phillies he faced and allowed one earned run on five hits and no walks in seven plus innings.

But there was no keeping up with Lee, the 2008 American League Cy Young Award winner, who twirled the sixth shutout of his career.

Washington’s best chance came in the third inning when Danny Espinosa led off with a loud double to right center. But on a one-out grounder to pulled-in Jimmy Rollins at short, he was gunned down at the plate by five steps.

“With one out, we’re going on contact, hoping the ball’s a little left or a little right of somebody,” Riggleman explained. “If we stay there, we got two outs and we’re standing on third. Your percentages get pretty bad from there.”

After that, three Nats reached first base, all leading off innings, but none advanced.

Philadelphia (9-3) got all the runs it needed in the sixth inning. Catcher Carlos Ruiz led off with his second home run of the season.

“It was a curveball. I left it up a little bit,” Zimmerman said. “It was really the only mistake I made all night.”

Then with two out, Shane Victorino lined a double to left. When Placido Polanco sent a hard ground ball toward Nats third baseman Jerry Hairston, he snagged it in retreat, then rushed his throw. The ball skipped past first baseman Adam LaRoche, allowing Victorino to trot home with an unearned run.

An error at second base by Espinosa allowed the Phillies to score two more unearned runs in the eighth inning.

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