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AUDIO (CSN Philly): Phillies 2012 milestones in yesterday’s 9-2 win over the MetsCliff Lee’s first win, the Phillies fifth when trailing after six innings. (Entered 00-5 and 4-31, respectively.) Psychological importance there couldn’t be overstated, on either. But they could be understated, apparently. Even both. Nice save, Chase Utley, on both the game (he tied it up in the seventh with a two-run bomb, Carlos Ruiz had the go-ahead solo shot right after) and Chahhhlie Manuel’s snoozer of a remark about it.

AUDIO (CSN Philly): After the win, Cliff Lee says he didn’t make mistakes he has all season, letting on that, no, his woes(quantified below) weren’t all on quiet Phillies bats.

AUDIO (CSN Philly): Utley says his return has gone about as expected for him, physically. (Nobody asks whether the Phillies 1-6 record since last Wednesday is right on schedule for the team and its fans.)

SCRIPTUALS (Jeff McLane, Philly.com): LA boy Jeffrie Lurie and his bride soon-to-be divorcee go all Frank McCourt. Worth noting: Both are considered co-owners of the team.

SCRIPTUALS (Yahoo! Sports): Spencer Hawes re-signs, for two years and just under $13 million.

SCRIPTUALS (Sam Carchidi, Philly.com): Flyers shunned by Zach Parise and Ryan Suter (signed with Minnesota Wednesday at noon, just as 94 percent of all American grills were fired up) AND Matt Carle (signed with Lightning Wednesday night, just in time for fireworks)? Really? America’s birthplace? On America’s birthday? Unpatriotic.

SCRIPTUALS (Bucky Gleason, BuffaloNews.com): Wanna crusade against crazy-front-loaded NHL contracts? (Parise and Suter’s identical 12-year, $98 million deals only pay $4 million total over the last three years.) Looks like somebody beat you to it.

SCRIPTUALS (Bob Sansevere, Minnesota Pioneer-Press): Not that this guy cares.

SCRIPTUALS (Bill Plaschke, LA Times): Salivating over Steve Nash? Why not Dwight Howard, too?

STATISTICALS (Elias): Cliff Lee finally won his first game of the season, throwing eight innings and striking out nine Metsbatters in the Phillies’ 9-2 victory at Citi Field. Seven of those strikeouts came on called strike threes, tying the highest total by any major-league pitcher in a game this seasonMatt Cain caught seven Astros batters looking at strike three in his perfect game on June 13.

STATISTICALS (ESPN Stats & Info): Cliff Lee gets his first win of the 2012 season in his 14th start. Since becoming a full-time starter in 2004Lee never went more than 3 starts without a victory to start a season.

Cliff Lee Starts Needed For 1st Win – Since 2004

201214
20111
20103
20093
20081
20072
20062
20053
20042

STATISTICALS (AP): Chase Utley hit his 6th home run at Citi Field, tying Raul Ibanez for the most by a visiting player. …Juan Pierre stole his 20th base, the 12th straight year he’s reached the mark. His 574th career swipe tied Hugh Duffy for 22nd place all-time.

STATISTICALS (Elias): Zach Parise signed with the Wild on Wednesday, saying “coming back home” was a significant factor in his decision. His fatherJ.P. Parise, was the career assist leader for the Minnesota North Stars from 1970 to 1976 and again from 1978 to 1981, when he was passed by Tim Young.

STATISTICALS (ESPN Stats & Info): Looking ahead a bit: Chipper Jones went 2-4 in the Braves Sunday loss to the Cubs, extending his hit streak to 11 games. Over the span, he’s batting .439.

STATISTICALS (ESPN Stats & Info): Steve Nash-to-Lakers fun: Nash and Kobe Bryant were picked two picks apart in 1996. (Bryant at 13, Nash at 15.) … Nash needs just 84 assists to become the 5th player in NBA history with 10,000, and second for the Lakers (Magic Johnson). … All-time, the most 10 assist per game and 50 percent shooting seasons are John Stockton’s 8 and Nash’s and Magic’s 6. … And the most assists in a game by a Lakers point guard in the Kobe Bryant eraNick Van Exel (8.5, 1996-97).

PHILLIES PITCHING PROBABLES:

Thursday (7:10 p.m. EST): LHP Cole Hamels (10-4, 3.08 ERA) @ RHP R.A. Dickey (12-1, 2.15 ERA)

Friday (7:05 p.m. EST): RHP Tim Hudson (6-4, 3.87 ERA) @ RHP Kyle Kendrick (2-8, 5.35 ERA)

Saturday (7:15 p.m. EST): RHP Tommy Hanson (9-5, 3.70 ERA) @ RHP Joe Blanton (7-7, 4.85 ERA)

Sunday (1:35 p.m. EST): RHP Jair Jurrjens (2-2, 5.19 ERA) @ RHP Vance Worley (4-5, 3.46 ERA)

ON THIS DAY:

1947Larry Doby pinch hit for the Cleveland Indians against the Chicago White Sox. The event made him the first black player to play in the American League.

1975Arthur Ashe became the first African-American man to win a Wimbledon singles title when he defeated Jimmy Connors in four sets.

1997Martina Hingis, at age 16, became the youngest Wimbledon winner in 110 years when she beat Jana Novotna in the women’s final.

1998Roger Clemens (Toronto Blue Jays) got his 3,000th career strikeout.

 

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