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Phillies-Padres Preview

Jun 3, 2009 - 6:51 AM By KATE HEDLIN STATS Writer

Philadelphia (30-20) at San Diego (25-27), 10:05 p.m. EDT

With Raul Ibanez and Adrian Gonzalez each having little trouble connecting at the plate recently, it's not a big surprise that this series between the San Diego Padres and Philadelphia Phillies has been a slugfest.

Neither is Ibanez's team winning the first two games.

The Phillies look to win their season-high sixth straight Wednesday when they close a three-game series against the Padres.

Philadelphia (30-20) is looking to complete the sweep following a 10-5 victory Tuesday. The Phillies scored four runs in the first off Jake Peavy, who left after the inning because of an upper respiratory infection. Philadelphia hit three home runs off Padres relievers - including Ibanez's 200th and 201st homers - to make a winner of Antonio Bastardo, who threw six solid innings in his major league debut.

"It's great we won, first and foremost, and the kid threw a great game," Ibanez said. "He did a phenomenal job."

Philadelphia has hit five home runs in this series while San Diego has hit three.

Ibanez has 19 home runs - three behind Gonzalez, who hit his major league-leading 22nd off Bastardo in the sixth inning. Gonzalez has homered in both games against Philadelphia and four straight contests overall. He's hitting .364 (8 for 22) with a 1.182 slugging percentage in the last eight games.

While Gonzalez is hitting the ball well, his teammates have not delivered. The slugger has driven in nine of San Diego's 20 runs as the Padres (25-27) have dropped four of their last five games.

Ibanez, meanwhile, has gotten plenty of help. The Phillies have scored 33 runs and batted .315 their last five games. Shane Victorino is hitting .476 (10 for 21) with two doubles, a triple and six runs scored, while Chase Utley is 7 for 18 (.389) with two doubles, a home run, six runs scored and five RBIs.

The Phillies will try to complete the sweep against San Diego's Chris Young (4-3, 4.45 ERA), who has pitched well recently, but struggled in one of his worst starts of the season against the Phillies back in April.

Young has a 1.89 ERA over his last three outings, going 2-1. He pitched six innings at Colorado on Friday, allowing three runs - one earned - and two hits in a 3-0 loss. The right-hander also walked a season-high six batters.

Young is 2-1 with a 4.50 ERA against the Phillies, who tagged him for seven runs and nine hits in 3 2-3 innings April 17. The Padres, though, bailed him out by rallying to win 8-7.

Utley is 4 for 11 (.364) with two homers and a double against Young.

Philadelphia counters with J.A. Happ (3-0, 3.00), who will make his third start since Chan Ho Park was demoted to the bullpen.

Happ recorded his first victory as a starter this season after giving up three runs and three hits over 5 1-3 innings of a 5-4 win over Washington on Friday.

The left-hander made a three-inning, scoreless relief appearance against the Padres on April 19, scattering three hits.

Reliever J.C. Romero, a key contributor to Philadelphia's World Series title last year, is eligible to return after serving a 50-game suspension for testing positive for a banned substance. Romero had a 2.75 ERA in 81 appearances in 2008, and manager Charlie Manuel said he would likely use him against lefties.