MIAMI - Once Cliff Lee escaped an early jam, the rest seemed to come easily.
Lee (5-2) pitched a three-hitter for his 12th career shutout and Delmon Young hit a home run for the second consecutive game, sending the Philadelphia Phillies past the Miami Marlins 3-0 on Wednesday night.
Lee (Benton, Arkansas Razorbacks) struck out five, walked two and hit a batter in his first shutout since Sept. 5, 2011.
“I know I got lucky early in the game with the bases loaded and nobody out, getting the double play there,” Lee said. “I felt like I got better as the game went on, too.”
The Marlins failed to score despite that threat in the second inning.Nick Green grounded into a third-to home-to-first double play and Jeff Mathis popped up.
“I was willing to sacrifice a run right there for two outs,” Lee said. “Luckily, he hit it to third base where we could get the guy at home and then throw to first, so that was huge.”
Lee has allowed three or less runs in eight of his 10 starts. Miami’s only hits were Marcell Ozuna’s infield single leading off the second, Miguel Olivo’s lined single opening the sixth and Derek Dietrich’s infield single in the ninth.
The Marlins were blanked for the ninth time this season.
Lee also got two hits.
“It’s the funnest part of the game for me,” he said. “Anytime I can do anything to help the team win, I try to take it serious.”
PIRATES 1, CUBS 0 Francisco Liriano (3-0) scattered two hits over seven innings and host Pittsburgh edged Chicago. Liriano struck out nine and walked just one.
REDS 7, METS 4 Brandon Phillips bounced a bizarre double over first base to snap a ninth-inning tie and visiting Cincinnati completed a three-game sweep of New York.
DODGERS 9, BREWERS 2 Carl Crawford and Scott Van Slyke drove in two runs each for visiting Los Angeles in a victory over Milwaukee.
NATIONALS 2, GIANTS 1 Ian Desmond singled in Bryce Harper in the 10th inning and visiting Washington beat San Francisco.
ROCKIES 4, DIAMONDBACKS 1 Carlos Gonzalez hit a home run and drove in two runs, Jorge De La Rosa (6-3) pitched effectively into the sixth and host Colorado beat Arizona.
INTERLEAGUE
BRAVES 8, TWINS 3 Evan Gattis hit his first grand slam, B.J. Upton and Ramiro Pena also hit home runs, and host Atlanta finished off a sweep of Minnesota.
AMERICAN LEAGUE
BLUE JAYS 4, RAYS 3 Jose Bautista hit two home runs and drove in the winning run with a 10th-inning single, leading host Toronto to a victory over Tampa Bay.
RANGERS 3, ATHLETICS 1 David Murphy and Adrian Beltre hit home runs in a three-run first inning, Ross Wolf was strong in his first major-league start and host Texas avoided a sweep with a victory against Oakland.
ANGELS 7, MARINERS 1 C.J. Wilson struck out 10 in eight innings, Josh Hamilton had a tworun single and host Los Angeles beat Seattle. Wilson (4-3) allowed a run and six hits.
ORIOLES 6, YANKEES 3 Chris Davis went 4 for 4, including his AL-leading 14th home run, and host Baltimore got a three-run home run from Matt Wieters in a victory over New York.
RED SOX 6, WHITE SOX 2 Clay Buchholz pitched allowed five hits over seven innings to improve to 7-0 and visiting Boston beat Chicago.
ASTROS 3, ROYALS 1 J.D. Martinez hit a two run home run, Jordan Lyles (2-1) pitched six effective innings and host Houston beat Kansas City.
TIGERS 11, INDIANS 7 Justin Verlander (5-4) overcame a rocky start and a rain delay to get his fifth victory and Miguel Cabrera hit another home run as visiting Detroit beat Cleveland, sweeping the two-game series between the AL Central’s top teams. The game was delayed 62 minutes by rain in the fifth and another 48 minutes in the eighth.
Wednesday’s games
NATIONAL LEAGUE Cincinnati 7, NY Mets 4 LA Dodgers 9, Milwaukee 2 Colorado 4, Arizona 1 Washington 2, San Francisco 1 (10) Pittsburgh 1, Chicago Cubs 0 Philadelphia 3, Miami 0 St. Louis at San Diego, (n)
AMERICAN LEAGUE Texas 3, Oakland 1 Toronto 4, Tampa Bay 3 (10) Detroit 11, Cleveland 7 Baltimore 6, NY Yankees 3 LA Angels 7, Seattle 1 Boston 6, Chicago White Sox 2 Houston 3, Kansas City 1
INTERLEAGUE Atlanta 8, Minnesota 3
Sports, Pages 22 on 05/23/2013