PHILADELPHIA -- The newest addition to the Phillies starting rotation is pitching like he's been here before. With another serviceable outing Sunday, Ben Lively became the first Phillies starter to begin his Major League career with four consecutive quality starts since Brandon Duckworth in 2001.
Two things stick out.
First, he's displayed the fortitude of a much more experienced pitcher. In his last two starts, he allowed three early runs. In Boston on June 13, he allowed a run in each of the first three innings before throwing four straight scoreless frames. On Sunday, the D-backs took him deep twice in the first five batters of the game.