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Phillies-Padres Preview

Jun 1, 2009 - 12:16 AM By MATT BEARDMORE STATS Writer

Philadelphia (27-20) at San Diego (24-25), 10:05 p.m. EDT

The Philadelphia Phillies have the major league's best road record, but they face a stern challenge in improving that mark Monday when the San Diego Padres try to extend their 10-game winning streak at Petco Park in the opener of a three-game series.

The NL East-leading Phillies (28-20) look to maintain their dominance in San Diego after winning their third straight Sunday - 4-2 over Washington. Chase Utley went 2 for 3 with an RBI double and Ryan Howard had an RBI triple in the seventh as Jamie Moyer became the 44th pitcher in major league history to reach the 250-victory plateau.

"It's not about the personal things, I'm more excited about us winning," Moyer said.

Philadelphia has done plenty of that on the road, going 16-6. The Phillies open their 10-game trip with their first visit to San Diego since taking two of three from the Padres from Aug. 15-17.

Philadelphia is 12-4 at Petco Park since it opened in 2004, and has won 14 of its last 18 in San Diego. The Padres, though, are 17-6 at home, including the franchise's first 9-0 homestand from May 15-24.

The Padres (25-25) play their next seven at Petco Park. Adrian Gonzalez hit a three-run homer in the third inning - his major league-leading 20th home run - as San Diego finished a 3-3 trip Sunday with a 5-2 win over Colorado.

Gonzalez' home run total is the most in franchise history by June 1 - three more than the previous record of 17 held by Greg Vaughn (1988) and Nate Colbert (1970).

"I'll see where the numbers are at the end of the year because May means nothing," said Gonzalez, who batted .364 (4 for 11) with two homers and three RBIs as the Padres took two of three in Philadelphia from April 17-19.

Gonzalez is 2 for 8 lifetime against Phillies scheduled starter Joe Blanton, who looks to build off his best start of the season. The right-hander won his second straight start Tuesday, striking out a career-high 11 in seven scoreless innings of a 5-3 win over Florida.

"I got myself into some good pitching counts," Blanton said after throwing 72 of 114 pitches for strikes.

Blanton (3-3, 6.14 ERA) makes his second career start against the Padres. Pitching for Oakland, he yielded five runs in four innings in an 8-1 loss to San Diego in 2006.

Kevin Correia (1-3, 5.11) takes the mound for the Padres after giving up season highs of six runs and nine hits in his last start - a 6-5 loss at Arizona on Tuesday that snapped San Diego's 10-game winning streak.

Correia is 1-1 with a 4.60 ERA in one start and seven relief appearances against Philadelphia.

Howard is batting .375 with three homers and 14 RBIs in 13 career games in San Diego. He went 5 for 12 with a double, triple and home run in the three-game set against the Padres in April.

Utley batted .308 with three homers and six RBIs in that series.

San Diego center fielder Scott Hairston has homered in two straight games. He is batting .333 with three home runs and seven RBIs in his last nine games against Philadelphia.

Kevin Kouzmanoff went 2 for 5 with an RBI double Sunday. The Padres third baseman is batting .350 (14 for 40) with three homers and eight RBIs during the 10-game winning streak at Petco Park.