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Howard slugs Phillies past Brewers

Sep 12, 2008 - 4:07 AM By Vince DiGregorio PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

PHILADELPHIA (Ticker) -- The Philadelphia Phillies snapped two streaks on Thursday night.

Ryan Howard hit his 43rd home run of the season and drove in three runs as the Phillies ended a two-game skid with a 6-3 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers in the opener of a four-game series.

The win moved the Phillies (80-67) within three games of the idle New York Mets (82-63) for first place in National League East and three behind the Brewers (83-64) for the NL wild card.

"I'm not gonna go home and cry about it," Brewers manager Ned Yost said. "I'm going to be ready to come back here (Friday) and get after it again."

Philadelphia also broke the consecutive scoreless innings streak of Milwaukee starter Ben Sheets (13-8), who had not allowed a run in 20 frames before Howard's two-run homer in the first.

"(Howard) put two really good swings (together) and he really changed the game for them offensively," Sheets said.

Howard was 0-for-3 in his career against Sheets entering the contest.

"A guy like Howard definitely picks you up, because he hits the ball out of the yard," Phillies manager Charlie Manuel said. "Usually, when he hits the ball, it's a long hit. That's a definite pick-me-up. That kind of gets you going."

Sheets (13-8) had entered the contest with a 2-0 mark in his last three starts and had surrendered only 12 hits over those 20 innings. He lasted six innings and was charged with five runs and nine hits on Thursday, with three walks and four strikeouts.

"Twenty scoreless (innings) had nothing to do with today's game," Sheets said. "If I gave up 10 (runs) in the past, I wouldn't worry about that game either. I just had a bad day today. Howard was the reason for it."

Working on three days' rest, Jamie Moyer (14-7) gave the Phillies 5 2/3 innings, allowing three runs and four hits, including two home runs. The 45-year-old walked one, hit a batter and struck out five.

"Somebody had to pitch tonight. Why not me?" Moyer asked. "I felt like I was able to throw my name in the hat and let the (coaching) staff make their choice. I don't know who else they were considering. I felt that I would be healthy enough to pitch. Sometimes you've got to step up."

Moyer pitched the opener of a day-night doubleheader Sunday against the Mets, a game in which the Phillies won, 6-2.

"If I was a pitcher, I would definitely sit there and study everything Moyer does," Manuel said. "From his preparation, his practice, the way he goes about his business, the professionalism he's got, how he studies the game. Also, more than anything else, his determination."

The Phillies used three relievers to keep the Brewers scoreless before Brad Lidge came on in the ninth to notch his 36th save in as many chances.

"I think we approached this series the same way we approach any game right now," Lidge said. "We need to win every one we can. We're not looking ahead. We're not panicked, but it's kind of do-or-die time."

Jimmy Rollins led off the first inning with a single. Two outs later, Howard hit Sheets' first offering over the center field fence to stake the Phillies to a 2-0 lead.

"I guess that's my job, to go out there and produce runs," said Howard, who increased his major league-leading RBI total to 129. "Whatever I can do to get the team going or provide a spark, you just go out there and do it."

J.J. Hardy got Milwaukee's first hit and run in the third with his 24th home run of the season, a two-out shot into the left field seats to cut the deficit to 2-1.

Philadelphia added two more runs in the fourth to increase its margin to 4-1.

After Chase Utley led off with a single, Howard just missed hitting another homer when his drive hit the padding at the top of the right-center field fence and stayed in play for an RBI double. Two outs later, Pedro Feliz delivered a run-scoring double.

"The ball just kind of carried," Howard said. "I didn't know what exactly had happened. I just saw (Milwaukee center fielder) Mike Cameron turn around and run after it. Luckily, we were able to get the run out of that."

Prince Fielder ended Moyer's night in the sixth when he blasted his 29th homer - a two-out, two-run shot into the Phillies' bullpen that pulled the Brewers within 4-3.

"As I got deeper in the game, I think I got a little tired a little quicker," Moyer said. "(I was) one pitch (away from) getting out of that sixth inning. (I) made a bad pitch and paid for it."

The Phillies got a run back in the bottom half of the frame on an RBI double by Carlos Ruiz, who added another RBI in the eighth inning on a suicide squeeze play.