By Sports Network | The Sports Network
Cliff Lee looks to continue his remarkable campaign this afternoon when the Cleveland Indians take on the Seattle Mariners in the finale of a three- game set at Safeco Field.
After spending time in the minors and on the DL in 2007, not much was expected from Lee this season, but that didn't stop him from being one of the most dominant pitchers in the first half. The left-hander, who earned the right to start the All-Star game for the AL, is currently tied for the league lead in wins (12) and is second in ERA (2.31).
Lee won his last start prior to the break, tossing six scoreless innings in a 5-0 blanking of the Tampa Bay Rays on July 11. He struck out seven and walked just one, as the Indians improved to 13-5 when Lee pitches.
For his career, Lee has fared well against the Mariners, logging a 6-1 record with a 3.90 ERA in 10 appearances, nine starts. He defeated Seattle back on April 30th, allowing three earned runs and eight hits over six innings of an 8-3 victory.
While Lee has been a pleasant surprise for the Indians, opposing starter Carlos Silva has been anything but that for Seattle. Since the beginning of May, the right-hander is a dismal 1-11 with a 6.93 ERA, and has been hardly worth the four-year, 48 million dollar contract Seattle signed him to before the season.
Silva, however, has pitched a little better of late, allowing just four earned runs over his last 14 innings. In his last start on July 13th, Silva limited Kansas City to two earned runs and eight hits over six innings. He struck out five, but did not earn a decision in the Mariners' 4-3 triumph.
Against Cleveland, Silva is 4-6 with a lofty 5.10 ERA in 18 career appearances, 17 starts. He faced the Indians back on April 29th, yielding two earned runs in seven innings of work. He did not factor in Seattle's 7-2 victory.
The Mariners are hoping Silva can be a bit more effective than Saturday's starter Miguel Batista, who was touched for eight runs on seven hits in just two-plus innings of a 9-6 loss.
Batista (4-11) failed to get out of the third inning for the second straight start.
Shin-Soo Choo went 3-for-5 with a two-run homer and three runs batted for Cleveland, which used a six-run third inning to gain the victory.
Jhonny Peralta had two hits and two RBI, while Casey Blake and Jamey Carroll each added two hits and batted in a run for the Indians, who snapped a 10-game road losing streak. Cleveland had 12 hits, seven of which were doubles.
Jeremy Sowers (1-5) allowed four runs on five hits in six innings of work to pick up his first win since May 24 of last season. Masa Kobayashi gave up two runs in the ninth inning, but held on as Cleveland won its fifth of six.
Ichiro Suzuki and Raul Ibanez each homered on Saturday, while Jose Vidro doubled and drove in two runs for the Mariners, who had won two in a row.
The Indians won two of three when these clubs met in Cleveland from April 29- May 1.
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