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May 31, 2009 - 4:29 AM By DAN PIERINGER STATS Writer

Washington (13-34) at Philadelphia (26-20), 1:35 p.m. EDT

Philadelphia Phillies left-hander Jamie Moyer is third among active pitchers in wins, but he doesn't have anything to show for his five attempts to get his 250th.

A meeting with the Washington Nationals could help him end that drought.

Moyer looks to snap a four-start losing streak and finally get the milestone victory Sunday when the Phillies try to sweep a three-game home series against the Nationals, losers of 17 of 20.

With his 249 career wins, Moyer (3-5, 7.42 ERA) trails only Tom Glavine and Randy Johnson among active pitchers. The 46-year-old veteran, however, has had a tough time trying to join those two as the only current players with at least 250.

Since winning at Florida on April 26, Moyer is 0-4 with a 9.62 ERA in five starts. He gave up four runs and seven hits in six innings as the Phillies (27-20) fell 5-3 to the Marlins on Monday.

"I feel I'm back to where I need to be," Moyer told the Phillies' official Web site. "... The final result's not there. It's a work in progress. I'm pleased I threw strikes. I got ahead in the count for the most part."

Moyer's teammates haven't expressed any doubt in his ability to get back on track.

"He hasn't been in this game for 20 years and not probably had a bad month," first baseman Ryan Howard said. "People talking about his age, it's got nothing to do with him when he's throwing well. Nobody in here is worried about him. We know that he's going to bounce back."

Moyer appears to have a good chance to do so against the Nationals (13-35). He's 12-4 with a 2.96 ERA in 24 career games against the Washington franchise, including 6-0 with a 2.72 ERA in 10 starts since the team moved from Montreal before the 2005 season. Moyer's teams are 8-2 in that stretch.

The Nationals seem particularly beatable lately. Their 9-6 loss to the Phillies on Saturday night was their fifth straight and 17th in 20 games.

"It's tough losing so much, but we're not going to quit," manager Manny Acta said. "We'll come back tomorrow and play hard."

Howard led the Phillies by hitting two homers Saturday, passing Hall of Famer Mike Schmidt for the franchise record with his eighth career grand slam in the third inning. That 475-foot shot was only the second ball to reach the third deck in right field in the five-year history of Citizens Bank Park.

"He's just as strong as anyone," manager Charlie Manuel said when asked to compare Howard to the all-time sluggers. "I've seen him hit some long ones."

It was the second multihomer game in a week for Howard, who's batting .346 (9 for 26) with four homers, two doubles and nine RBIs over his last six games. Howard is 4 for 17 with one homer and seven strikeouts in his career against Nationals pitcher John Lannan (2-4, 4.11), who will take the mound Sunday.

Lannan, a left-hander, was 2-0 with a 2.55 ERA over his previous four starts before giving up five runs in five innings of a 5-2 loss at the New York Mets on Monday. He's 0-4 with a 5.97 ERA in six starts against Philadelphia, and Washington is 1-5 in those games.

Phillies second baseman Chase Utley is 8 for 16 with two homers against Lannan. Utley, however, is 6 for 37 (.162) against lefties since May 6 after opening the season 11 for 20 (.550) versus them.