Throwing zeros in South Philly

Thirteen years ago today, the Phillies’ Cliff Lee beats the Boston Red Sox 5-0 before a Tuesday night crowd of 45,714 in South Philly for his third consecutive shutout.

In doing so, Lee becomes the first Philadelphia Phillies pitcher to accomplish that feat since Hall of Famer Robin Roberts in 1950.

Against the Red Sox, Lee allows just two hits – a single to left field by Marco Scutaro to lead off the sixth inning and a double down the left-field line by Darnell McDonald to start the eighth.

“It’s been a good run, no doubt about it,” Lee says after the game. “I’ve had a few in my career, but I don’t look back and compare them. I want to throw a shutout every time out there. I never want to give up a run.”

Alas for Lee, he gives up plenty of them in his next start, allowing seven runs in seven-plus innings of a 7-4 loss to the Blue Jays in a July 3, 2011 start before a Sunday afternoon crowd of 26,204 in Toronto.

Lee finishes the 2011 season with six of the Phillies' seven shutouts. His six shutouts are more than the season total for 27 of baseball’s 29 other teams.