woosh

Was that the sound of Cliff Lee blowing through the Florida lineup today? Or the sound of the Philadelphia Phillies starting to pull away in the National League East? Both, perhaps. Lee, the former Meridian Community College standout, tossed a two-hit shutout at the Marlins, winning 3-0 to boost his record to 7-5. It was the third win in the last four starts for Lee, who might just now be finding his best form. Roy Oswalt, the pride of Weir and Holmes CC, hasn’t been his usual crafty self either, and still the Fightin’ Phils find themselves with a season-best seven-game win streak and a 5 1/2-game lead over Atlanta. The Braves, suddenly wobbling through a three-game skid, turn to former Mississippi Braves left-hander Mike Minor (0-2, 4.50 ERA) to be a stopper tonight against the New York Mets. The Braves really need to keep the Phillies in sight.