Indians-White Sox: Cliff Lee Notches His 20th Win for the Indians

In regular dominating fashion, Cliff Lee is the MLB's first 20-game winner of the year.

In a season mulled by injury, poor play, and a vulnerable bullpen, Cliff Lee has been the constant all year long for the Indians organization.

Not only is Lee the first to 20 wins this season, he is the first Indian to reach that milestone in 34 years. Gaylord Perry was the last Indian pitcher to do so, and he did it in 1974, when he compiled a 21-13 record.

It has been so long since a 20-game winner has been in a Cleveland uniform that the last time it was accomplished, a first-class stamp cost a dime, and the average employee brought in just under $11,000 a year.

Cliff Lee is the first to 20 wins in 27 or fewer starts since 2002, when Curt Schilling accomplished the feat, and he has needed the fewest starts to record 20 wins since Bob Feller did it in 1951.

Cliff Lee started the game off in dominating fashion, retiring batters in order and retiring 21 in a row at one point, until Paul Konerko got a single off of him in the seventh inning with one out.

The Indians offense picked it up when they had to, giving Lee plenty of offensive support, with five runs off of the AL Central-leading White Sox. The Indians got five runs off of nine hits and dealt Clayton Richard his third loss on the year since being called up from Chicago's AAA team.

Ryan Garko had two hits and Shin-Soo Choo kept his hot bat going with a 3-for-5 game and driving in a run.

Orlando Cabrera was the only White Sox to get multiple hits on the game. The White Sox needed five pitchers to make it through the game, while it took only Cliff Lee for the Indians, which gave the Indians' bullpen a much needed rest after being swept by the NL worst Seattle Mariners after winning 10 in a row.

With the Indians primarily out of playoff contention, look for Cliff Lee to continue his dominance, as he looks to finish strong in the 2008 campaign, and look for him to be celebrating with the 2008 AL Cy Young award. He looks to make it back-to-back Indians for the Cy Young.