Cleveland Indians pitcher Cliff Lee capped a stellar season by being named the American League's Cy Young Award winner on Thursday.
Lee dominated the voting by North American baseball writers taking 24 of 28 first-place votes to receive the highest honor for a Major League Baseball pitcher.
Toronto Blue Jays hurler Roy Halladay, who won the award five years ago, finished a distant second.
Halladay collected four first-place votes and 71 points. Third place went to Los Angeles Angels closer Francisco Rodriguez, who set the single season record with 62 saves.
Lee, who struggled last season before being demoted to the minors, finished with a major-league best 22-3 with a 2.54 ERA this season.
He became the third Cleveland player to win the Cy Young, joining Hall of Famer Gaylord Perry in 1972 and CC Sabathia in 2007.
Lee had finished fourth in Cy Young voting in three years ago when he finished with 18 wins, five losses and a 3.79 ERA.
